Owners of a Caribbean restaurant in Herne Hill, once dubbed ‘south London’s best roti spot’, say since five telecom boxes were put up right outside 12 years ago, their business has ‘never recovered.’
Umana Yana, on Croxted Road, has been in the shadow of the boxes since 2012, which completely block the view of the restaurant from the street.
Restaurant owner, Debbie Monfries has campaigned for years to get the boxes removed, claiming their business has ‘suffered’ because people driving by can’t see their shop.
“We don’t have footfall here as you’d see up in other parts of London,” Debbie told us.
“So, we depend on the passing trade which is mainly the cars, buses and lorries.”
She explained that before the boxes were erected, people would pass ‘blow their horn and place an order’ and then go around the block and collect it.
“Even the bus drivers would do that,” she said.
“But now, no one sees us – unless you’re on top of a double-decker bus.”
As her sales shot down, ‘South London’s best roti place’, ran into financial struggle.
The boxes were installed by media giants Virgin Media, O2 and Vodafone, who have all refused to move them.
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Local MP Helen Hayes has supported her throughout the campaign. Two years ago, she wrote to Virgin Media appealing to relocate the boxes. Virgin Media responded that it would be ‘too expensive’ to do.
She has promised to raise the issue in Parliament if re-elected on July 4th.
It is thanks to some loyal customers who have been won over by Debbie’s smile and tenacity, that she has been able to stay afloat this long.
They have helped her hold fundraisers to help get her legal help and pay her sky-high electricity bills.
“But now that cost of living is getting higher – we can’t keep up anymore,” she said.
As the business straddles two boroughs, Lambeth and Southwark councils have shifted responsibility to the other, leaving Debbie and her husband Junior on their own.
Now Debbie says she worries for their futures. “I don’t have a pension or anything. This is all my investment, for me and my family.”
“That’s why we need everyone to help us to get these people to move these boxes.”
For now, she is raising money for new cooking equipment to ‘halve her electricity bills.’
You can help Debbie by donating to her crowdfunder.
