Nepal UK
Picture: Yoo Capital
UK - Campaigners have formally applied to have Shepherd’s Bush Market recognised as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), citing fears over its long-term future.
The group, Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Market, lodged the application with Hammersmith and Fulham Council almost a year after redevelopment plans for the west London site were approved. They believe current owner Yoo Capital intends to sell the market once construction is complete. ACV status, they argue, would give the community first refusal for five years if the site goes on sale—potentially paving the way for community ownership and protecting the market’s character.
However, Yoo Capital insists the market is not for sale and that its redevelopment scheme will provide traders with “the best chance of future success”. The approved plans include new stalls, 40 council homes on the neighbouring Old Laundry Yard, and a nine-storey commercial building.
The project was given planning permission by the council in December 2023. Critics voiced concerns over the level of support promised to traders, the terms of new leases, and the risk of gentrification displacing long-standing stallholders. In August 2024, the development received conditional final approval after City Hall declined to intervene.
Campaign spokesman Jake Simms described the market as “the heart of our community”, warning that the redevelopment could erode its diversity, drive out locals, and diminish its social value. “The market needs investment,” he said, “but this must be led by the community, not driven purely by investors’ profits.”
In contrast, the Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants’ Association expressed full support for Yoo Capital’s plans, dismissing the ACV bid as an attempt to stall progress. The association noted that purchasing the site would cost millions and questioned how the Friends group would raise such funds.
Yoo Capital’s managing director, Andrew Thorpe, said construction is expected to begin early next year: “Our plans offer the market and its traders the best chance of future success.”
Shepherd’s Bush Market, which runs between Goldhawk Road and Uxbridge Road, has served the local community for over a century, offering fresh produce, street food, and a mix of independent stalls. The outcome of the ACV application could determine whether its future is shaped by the community—or by the developer’s vision.
Community Fights for Future of Historic Shepherd's Bush Market Amid Redevelopment Plans
Shepherd's Bush Market, a vibrant and historic hub that has served its West London community for over a century, is at the heart of a contentious battle for its future. Campaigners are pushing for the market to be recognized as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), a move they hope will safeguard its unique character and prevent its potential loss to further commercialization, even as developers insist their plans are for the market's benefit.
The formal application for ACV status was submitted to Hammersmith and Fulham Council by the group Friends of Shepherd's Bush Market. This action comes nearly a year after redevelopment plans for the site, spearheaded by current owner Yoo Capital, received approval. The Friends group harbors significant concerns that once the proposed construction is complete, Yoo Capital intends to sell the market. If successful, ACV status would grant the community a crucial right of first refusal for a period of five years should the site go up for sale, opening a potential pathway for community ownership and, in their view, ensuring the market's long-term preservation and continuity of its diverse offerings.
However, Yoo Capital staunchly refutes these claims, asserting that the market is definitively not for sale. The developer maintains that its comprehensive redevelopment scheme is designed to provide traders with "the best chance of future success." The approved plans are ambitious, encompassing the introduction of new stalls, the construction of 40 council homes on the adjacent Old Laundry Yard, and the development of a nine-storey commercial building.
The project initially received planning permission from the council in December 2023. From the outset, critics raised a chorus of concerns, highlighting perceived inadequacies in the promised support for existing traders, the potentially unfavorable terms of new leases, and the overarching risk of gentrification displacing long-standing stallholders who are integral to the market's identity. Despite these objections, the development received conditional final approval in August 2024 after City Hall declined to intervene in the planning process.
Jake Simms, a spokesperson for the Friends of Shepherd's Bush Market, articulated the group's deep-seated anxieties, describing the market as "the heart of our community." Simms warned that the current redevelopment trajectory could irrevocably erode the market's inherent diversity, displace local residents, and ultimately diminish its profound social value. While acknowledging the need for investment, Simms emphasized a critical distinction: “The market needs investment,” he stated, “but this must be led by the community, not driven purely by investors’ profits.” This sentiment underscores the core of the campaigners' argument: that any development should prioritize community benefit and sustainability over purely commercial gains.
In stark contrast, the Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenants’ Association has publicly declared its full support for Yoo Capital’s plans. The association has dismissed the ACV bid as a deliberate attempt to obstruct progress and delay a much-needed revitalization. They have also raised practical questions regarding the Friends group's aspirations for community ownership, pointing out that acquiring the site would entail a multi-million-pound investment and questioning how such substantial funds would be raised.
Andrew Thorpe, managing director of Yoo Capital, reiterated the developer's commitment, stating that construction is anticipated to commence early next year. He reiterated his firm belief that “Our plans offer the market and its traders the best chance of future success.”
Shepherd’s Bush Market, strategically located between Goldhawk Road and Uxbridge Road, has long been a cherished fixture in the local landscape, offering an eclectic mix of fresh produce, tantalizing street food, and a vibrant array of independent stalls. The impending decision on the ACV application carries significant weight, as its outcome will ultimately determine whether the market's rich future is sculpted by the collective vision and needs of its community, or predominantly shaped by the commercial objectives of the developer. The ongoing struggle highlights broader themes of urban development, community preservation, and the delicate balance between progress and heritage in rapidly changing cityscapes.
(Source: BBC reporting and other local media outlets)
