Hampstead health shop to close after 26 years as rent battle is lost

A much-loved health shop in Hampstead is to close after 26 years following a long battle to resist rent rises.

The owner of Hampstead Health Shop, on the High Street, has lost a court case to have rent prices reduced and will be forced to leave by today (Tuesday, November 1).

Recent rent hikes meant that owner Surya Jasani, 70, was paying more than �100,000 a year for the property, with �38,000 going to Camden Council as business rates and �70,000 per year to her landlord for the building itself.

Having fallen behind with the rent, Mrs Jasani was taken to court by the landlord, Prudential Pensions Ltd.

The community rallied behind her with a candle-lit vigil and a petition signed by more than 1,000 people.

Campaigner and lawyer Jessica Learmond-Criqui, who has been fighting Mrs Jasani’s cause, said: “We fought very hard for a rent reduction but they would not do it.

“Sue would like to thank you all for your support to her in her fight to stay on Hampstead High Street. But, in the end, she simply could not cope with the high rent and high business rates coupled with the downturn in the economy which drastically reduced her sales.

“There is a glimmer of hope in that a shop on Heath Street may become available and she may move her shop there. The fight will go on.”