SALFORD COMMUNITY GUTTED AS SHALIMAR SHOP SHUTS IN FACE OF ‘REGENERATION’ - Salford Star

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SALFORD COMMUNITY GUTTED AS SHALIMAR SHOP SHUTS IN FACE OF ‘REGENERATION’

Star date: 29th April 2021

MO'S SHALIMAR SHOP TO SHUT AFTER ALMOST 40 YEARS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

The Shalimar convenience store on Chapel Street, which has served the Islington community for almost 40 years, is set to close on Sunday 2nd May.

The shop, which saw community protests a few years ago when the English Cities fund refused to allow owner, Mo, a unit in the new Vimto development, has constantly fought against closure in the face of the area's gentrification. Now that the 'front line' is going, residents will be worried about the fate of the rest of the estate.

Full details here...

click image to enlarge

A simple message from Mo on Facebook said it all..."We are announcing with great sadness that Shalimar is closing...after serving people for 40 years...thank you for your business over the years..."

The message was posted on the Save Mo's site, set up around five years ago when the community came out to protest against the determination of Salford City Council and the English Cities Fund (ECF) to evict Mo from his Shalimar shop on Chapel Street that had served the community of the Islington Estate for around 35 years.

Shalimar sits smack in the middle of the ECF's gentrification of the area, with public money helping to oil the wheels. To the right of the shop is the £13.5million Vimto Gardens development where a two bedroom apartment costs around £230,000. To the left, the new Atelier Homes development is being built, in which a three bed townhouse costs up to £350,000.

There are unaffordable properties springing up all over the area courtesy of the ECF, which is a joint venture between Muse, Legal and General and Homes England, plus cheerleading by Salford City Council.

Back in 2015, Mo was quite happy to close his shop and move to one of the new retail spaces underneath the Vimto development. But every obstacle was put in his way, while the Co-Op moved in elbowing him out.* Since then, Mo has continued to keep his shop open, with the promise, the Star understands, of a unit in the Atelier development which was, of course, subsequently retracted.

An eviction court order was served on Mo over a year ago but during the pandemic it was not set in motion; until now. So, on Sunday 2nd May, the community will suffer a massive loss because Shailmar is a truly local shop where people can pay bills, leave and collect parcels and keys, get specially sourced products and even get old fashioned 'tick' credit.

The problem that Mo had, and the indigenous community will have, is that their faces don't fit in the shiny new, super luxurious Chapel Street. And don't they know it...

"What can I say, just gutted for him" sighs customer Sarah "All them years and he gets treated as if he doesn't belong here..."

On Facebook, customers and friends were genuinely shocked...

"The mayor and councillors go on how they support local business" wrote Jason "That bullshit...Mo been servicing the community around chapel st for 40 years. Through all the changes. But like everything with labour council if not new knock it down. They could have got mo the site that the co op move into...So they just pull the carpet from underneath his feet. Without a care for the little man and his family business."

"Always a pleasure going in that shop since bein' a kid" wrote Donna "...mo was always there with the banter", while Jemma added "mo you & that shop will always be part of my life..."

"Absolutely gutted... never in my whole life will i ever, ever forget you all and everything u have done for us" wrote Lauren, while Michelle was also 'gutted'..."It still doesn't seem real, it won't be the same round here anymore x."

Indeed it won't be the same any more. Mo and his shop were seen as the symbolic front line of the Islington Estate, which is being surrounded by luxury developments. For years, people have been saying that once Mo was out of the way, they will be coming to knock down the estate and it's hard to see a different scenario.

Mo himself cannot speak about the closure of his shop and the circumstances surrounding it but any passer-by can just open their eyes, look what is going on around there and it's obvious that the local community and its shops are not wanted.

The Atelier Homes hoardings along Chapel Street trumpet the 'New Retail Units...Sizes to suit your business...' – just not this business. And just not this man and his customers. It's social cleansing of the highest degree. And it's sick, in the purest original meaning...

* For a full background see previous Salford Star articles...

Vimto Gardens Protest as Community Rebels Against Regeneration – click here

English Cities Fund Wins Feed The Rich Award - click here

£8million Subsidy For ECF as Community Shop Gets Eviction Order - click here

See also a huge article on Mo in the print issue 10 of Salford Star – for a virtual copy – click here

There is an ace musical tribute to Mo and Shalimar by Salford Media City on Facebook - click here

wrote
at 20:17:11 on 02 May 2021

@ Bob: They’ve already started it. Many of the Salix blocks around the Broadwalk estate have new heating systems in that cost a lot to run. But it was touted as “Greener” and “Cheaper” than the old systems. They knew full well some people would struggle to pay, but they put it in anyway to clear out the undesirables. They’re also sticking a single working person in the 2 bed flats after the former residents were forced to leave because of the bedroom tax (I’m not saying the Council’s responsible for the bedroom tax, Ray, before you start. But it’s working in their favour to move people out). It won’t be long before the rents go up to attract a ‘better’ kind of tenant.

bob wrote
at 16:10:12 on 02 May 2021

Well, Ray seems to let the cat out of the bag. These "bricks and mortar retailers" that he goes on about do not have much of a future in the modern way of looking at things, but for the people in the salix flats behind there perhaps they do. These people do not shop at waitrose and booths, and they don't shop online. It is from shops like this they buy bread and milk etc. So once Chapel street is tarted up all the way along, it won't be long before they start social cleansing in the blocks behind.They have already got rid of half of islington, it won't be long before the rest are gone. Never mind ,we can always blame Mrs Thatcher and them Tory bastards can't we.

The Truth Always Shines Through In The End wrote
at 07:48:56 on 02 May 2021

@Raystreakofshiteturd-- and there's me thinking you were a socialist --- "Callous though it maý appear,but Salford Council has a legal obligation to maximise it's return on investments,including retail property development."" True colours (brownnose) shining through at last. Nice to see you sticking up for your comrade Mo... He had no chance with idiots like you in (nominal) charge.

SPM wrote
at 22:51:22 on 01 May 2021

Ray, you are a sad little man whos best days never happened, and if they had, you would still be sad.

The Watcher on the shore wrote
at 13:50:58 on 01 May 2021

Salford council's legal obligation, the old shield wall. They always return to that default setting when pushed. We have a duty to the people of Salford, another meaningless all encompassing statement trundled out ad-infarnitum. I wasn't refuring to a mythical , coronation Street past but the same tactics used in pathfinder, and countless other areas of Salford, that leaves the residents with the overwhelming feeling they are not wanted. Buile hill mansion suddenly appears on Dennett's agenda, oh is it time to vote ? Must be their cleaning the grids as well ! Yet the problem with Buile hill mansion hasn't suddenly landed on the council's corporate desk. It seems that the council are ashamed of the past and always reach for the wrecking ball. Nuff said Rayofsunshine ?

wrote
at 12:46:25 on 01 May 2021

@RayofSunshine: “ Callous though it maý appear,but Salford Council has a legal obligation to maximise it's return on investments,including retail property development.” Spoken like a true capitalist. So when it’s a supposedly ‘Socialist’ Labour Council it’s ok to squeeze out the undesirables for profit? If that was Tories doing that you wouldn’t be defending it.

Rayofsunshine wrote
at 10:56:02 on 01 May 2021

The point I was trying to make.The Watcher on the shore,is that your critique of the current state 0f affairs in the city seems to be premised on view of Salford's past that never really existed - hence my reference to L.S. Lowry ! I'm genuinely sorry for Mo,but his difficulties should be viewed against the broarer background of the crisis of "brick and mortar retail";increasing monopolisation and the elimination of small ìndependents. Callous though it maý appear,but Salford Council has a legal obligation to maximise it's return on investments,including retail property development.

Old Ogden wrote
at 08:04:55 on 01 May 2021

My people are old and wise. They have a saying Ray "Dont piss on my back and tell me it is raining"

The Watcher on the shore wrote
at 19:37:53 on 30 April 2021

Hey Rayofsunshine you certainly have the mindset of a political animal. Don't answer or even address the issue. I can't see any reference to L.S Lowery or his political beliefs in my previous statement. Mind you defending the indefensible, that does take a certain laxity ( or flexibility) with regard to one's moral code. People don't change, a monorail salesman is still a monorail salesman however you dress it up ! Is my " appreciation" of Salfordians rooted any more in the past than your defence of a labour party whose finest moments were in an Atlee led government. I think not.

wrote
at 19:31:40 on 30 April 2021

It sounds like Ray is in support of the social cleansing of Salford then, forcing local people out for the benefit of someone else. Shame on you Ray.

bob wrote
at 15:04:33 on 30 April 2021

Dennett and his militant mates know exactly what they are doing. This lot know the votes are in the bag from ordinary labour voting idiot salfordians.They don't give 2 shits about these people, they are expendable cannon fodder in the "class war". The young people who live in these gentrified flats round there, are not public school rich yuppies, they are people like our kids and grankids, who have jobs and work hard. Most of these pay high rents because they cannot afford to buy.Because these young people have good jobs, its more likely these people are better educated. The militant left want to turn the minds of these people against the capitalist system. What better way than to let them be screwed by greedy capitalist landlords? Housing nowadays is not about putting a roof over peoples head. Its a means of political control, keeping everyone in line and worried, and tied up in bullshit. Both Tory and Labour use it as a battlefield to suit their own needs. Just think,If housing was cheap and plentiful, what would these people have to draw the attention of the public and control them.? Nothing. Wake up people,smell the coffee, don't take any more shit from these politicians, no matter what party they are.

Rayofsunshine wrote
at 13:08:13 on 30 April 2021

The Watcher on the shore,your "appreciation" of Salford and hence Salfordians,is something straight out of L.S Lowry,who is incidentally was a tory git!

The Watcher on the shore wrote
at 06:43:25 on 30 April 2021

Where have I heard, seen lived, this before ? The past is another country , and Salford's labour council ,( go on Rayofsunshine, I dare you ), won't go there. The "Poncefication" of Salford, lovely apt word, proceeds apace, pie in the sky bridge over Frederick road when the roads have so many potholes they look like an artist's impression of the battle of the Somme . Long term labour voters of Salford do you ever get the feeling you've been cheated ?

Mary Ferrer wrote
at 23:16:30 on 29 April 2021

Just hope people remember this and all the other moves to get rid of Salford folk. We don't appear to fit the picture of Salford in a few years time

wrote
at 21:06:19 on 29 April 2021

Yup. Salford Labour, always on the side of the working class. That is unless it clashes with their (and developers) gentrification plans. I hope you’re all happy Labour voters.

Tower of Pisa (listed building). Get it?? wrote
at 18:47:20 on 29 April 2021

Yet another example of the gentrification of Salford by removing an established trader that does not "fit the profile" ; after nearly 35 years of serving his local community, does that make "Shalimar's" part of the rapidly diminishing pool of Salford heritage that the Mayor proudly claims to protect? Watch out, Pendletoniers if Waitrose propose opening a branch in Salford Precinct, as gentrification and its implications wont be too far behind!!

Kev wrote
at 16:53:00 on 29 April 2021

Remember this before you blindly vote for Paul Dennett again. He hates ordinary Salfordians.

wrote
at 16:44:45 on 29 April 2021

Shower of Bas-ards! It says something about regeneration when somebody who has been in the area for so long is forced out. Do locals ever benefit from regeneration??

wrote
at 16:01:17 on 29 April 2021

Salford council getting rid of old Salford. Islington estate next?

Alice wrote
at 15:24:54 on 29 April 2021

So obvious snobbery . The Council say it is Labour but it doesn’t practise the genuine Labour philosophy. It would have been just and acceptable to give a unit in the new building but no that didn’t fit it’s sick desire to be ‘on the up.’

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