Traders and community block bailiffs but threat of gentrification persists

~ Blade Runner ~

Community members yesterday mobilised to successfully deter bailiffs, supported by security, from evicting traders at Ridley Road street market in Dalston, East London.

Many traders—particularly from low-income, migrant and racialised communities—have operated in the market for years and now face the loss of their livelihoods.

In mid-February 2026, traders received notice that their leases—set to expire on 31 March—would not be renewed. An occupation of the market has now begun in solidarity. Yesterday (1 April) supporters gathered in response to the bailiffs’ threat to return.

Supporters say what is unfolding in Dalston reflects a pattern of racist gentrification, with marginalised communities being pushed out while large, high-value developments transform the area around them.

Campaigners from Save Ridley Road trace the conflict back several years. In 2018, an initial eviction attempt failed as part of a wider redevelopment plan for the market building, which was later defeated. In early 2022, the Council agreed to take on a conditional lease tied to refurbishing the ground floor, though only half of the works were completed.

In August 2023, a large-scale police operation involving over 50 officers and dogs led to the arrest of around nine traders, all of whom were later released on bail. Charges and cautions related to these arrests were only issued over two years later.

In March 2025, traders were issued new 12-month leases with significantly reduced security compared to previous agreements. These terms were shaped through negotiations between the landlord’s solicitors and the Council’s lawyers, with the stated aim of aligning conditions with those imposed on street market traders.

In early 2026, campaigners sought clarity over the Council’s proposal to take over the Shopping Village lease. Both the landlord and the Council have since deflected responsibility—the landlord arguing that Council control would enable refurbishment through rental income, while the Council has rejected the proposal.

A public meeting involving the landlord, police, and Council representatives was held on 17 March. At the meeting, the landlord stated an intention to reopen the building without traders who had been cautioned or charged. However, this position is undermined by the delayed legal process, with actions stemming from the 2023 arrests only now being formalised.

The Council and landlord have cited building deterioration while promoting a “good versus bad trader” distinction, inviting selected traders to reapply for future tenancies at increased rents. Several traders without cautions or charges have also been excluded from this process.

Supporters are calling for continued solidarity, with people and supplies needed in the coming days.