The owner of a west London shoe shop fears he will have to close his business down if a nightclub takes his stock room away to create an extension of the private members’ club.
The owner of Sukies, an independent shoe shop at 285 King’s Road, said he fears he’ll have to close down if the development at Raffles Chelsea goes ahead.
Hassan Salimian told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he cannot run the store without space to store his stock in the basement which would be taken by Raffles, which is his landlord, as part of plans to create new toilets and an extra bar.
He also claims Raffles hadn’t informed him of their plans and only found out when council officers handed him a planning notice.
Mr Salimian said he is the last remaining independent shoe shop on the King’s Road which designs its own shows. He said the shop serves A-list celebs like Queen drummer Roger Taylor, ACDC’s Brian Johnson and footballer Frank Lampard.
He said: “There aren’t a lot of independents left. We’ve got a lot of people saying ‘thank God you’re still here’.
“The King’s Road is losing its identity. It has not been easy for retailers and we are working hard every day to stay here. I have so many regular customers who know where I am. Everyone knows how hard it’s been these days.”
Raffles Chelsea has asked Kensington and Chelsea Council for permission to deepen and extend the basement space to align with the existing ground floor.
Architects for Raffles say the club’s “evolving needs” have made the changes necessary. They said elements of the building may need to be temporarily removed during construction and rebuilt upon completion.
The club also wants to build a new staircase connecting the basement with the ground floor and a new bar and service area. The club will also get new toilets, a lounge area, a “prep room”.
Some 35 people objected to the proposal saying it would lead to more noise and crime in the area. One objector said the area suffers a high level of crime and antisocial behaviour “which comes directly from those frequenting Raffles club”.
They wrote: “There is often vomit all over the neighbouring streets, loud, disorderly behaviour and drug dealing. Whilst the club may be free of drugs, those using the nightclub arrange to meet drug dealers on neighbouring streets off the King’s Road. This brings much upset, concern and problems for neighbours.”
A nearby resident of 13 years said the ongoing issues with Raffles have been “a real blight”. They wrote: “These current plans would make things even worse and are not well thought through.”
A third said residents have endured loud noise, litter, early morning traffic, vandalism and “some activities of a sexual nature”. They added: “The expansion of the club will only add to these issues; no benefit to the resident or to the community.”
A fourth, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and is undergoing surgery for her bowel cancer, said recuperation will be “impossible” if she remained in her flat while construction works take place.
But the council said the changes will not result in an “intensification” of use because the overall capacity will remain unchanged. It also said though construction work can be disruptive, the noise generated by it would not warrant a refusal.
The application site is 285-287 King’s Road. The property at 287 King’s Road has been home to Raffles Chelsea, a luxury private members’ club since 1967. It is located in a mixed-use building which includes retail at ground level and residential space above.
The council will consider the application during a planning meeting on Tuesday, August 12.
Raffles Chelsea was contacted for comment via its agent.
