A group of 27 independent traders at Brixton Plaza in south London have won a temporary reprieve from eviction after the High Court granted an injunction preventing their removal from the site.
The traders, who have been based at the plaza for up to eight years, were served notices in March 2026 giving them around one month to vacate their premises to make way for a planned Aldi supermarket. They argue that the site serves as a vital cultural and economic anchor for the local community, preserving the area’s unique heritage.
Represented by law firm Leigh Day, the traders applied for the injunction, which was granted by His Honour Judge Jonathan Holmes on 8th April 2026. The court has ordered that the traders cannot be evicted or prevented from trading unless and until the landlord, Brixton Plaza Management and Governside Limited, obtains lawful authority, including a court order.
The eviction notices relied on documents described as ‘tenancies at will’. However, the traders’ legal team argued that, in reality, the traders were operating under full commercial leases, pointing to their long-standing occupation, exclusive possession of individual units, regular rent payments over many years, and significant investment in fitting out and improving their businesses.
The traders contend that their tenancies are likely protected under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, which grants business tenants statutory rights to proper notice, compensation in certain circumstances, and protection from eviction without a court order.
The injunction will remain in place pending further court hearings to determine the nature of the traders’ legal rights, including whether their tenancies are protected under the 1954 Act and whether the eviction notices were valid. For now, the traders can continue running their businesses at Brixton Plaza.
Leigh Day partner Jacqueline McKenzie said: ‘These 27 traders at Brixton Plaza were told to leave with just four weeks’ notice, and we welcome this injunction preventing their eviction.
‘At a purely legal level, the case rests on whether the agreements signed by the traders are genuinely tenancies at will, capable of being terminated at short notice, or properly constituted commercial tenancies that offer statutory protection. We argue that the way these tenancies have operated in practice, some for seven or eight years, strongly suggests they fall within the protections of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.
‘More broadly, it is deeply concerning that the site owners have conditional planning permission for an Aldi supermarket, yet our clients have had no consultation on compensation or on whether they may have a place in any future development.
‘Given the significant investment these traders have made over many years, this injunction represents an important milestone for small traders, their employees, and the diverse and valued services they provide to the local community.’
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