Camden Town Waterstones shut for a day after ‘unprecedented’ landlord dispute

Camden Town Waterstones was shut on Thursday after what the bookshop chain called an “unprecedented” decision by its landlords to lock them out of the building during lease negotiations.

A sign on the door of Waterstones in Camden Town on Thursday. Picture: Anonymous - Credit: Archant

The store remained shuttered and a notice was posted on the door warning of "peaceable re-entry" by solicitors acting for the landlord - Concise Property Management who are also based in Camden.

The store re-opened on Friday after resolving negotiations.

A spokesperson for the retailer said: "We have been in on-going discussions with the landlord to renew the lease to our Camden shop. In the meantime, as is normal in such instances, we remained in occupation of the shop under a temporary agreement.

[On Thursday] the landlord brought this agreement to an immediate end, an unprecedented action in our experience. The consequence was that we could not enter the shop and therefore it could not open for trade."

Concise Property Management have yet to respond to the Ham&High's request for comment, but their lawyers Memery Crystal LLP said they were unable to comment.