Bharat Chandarana has run Jay’s News next to the tube station for more than 30 years.
But TfL says urgent works are needed at the shop and it was agreed with Mr Chandarana that he would give up his lease.
His friend, Grant Kay, says there isn’t a more hardworking person and he’s an integral part of the community.
A Places for London spokesperson said: “Places for London is proud to support over 1,500 businesses across our estate, 95 per cent of which are SMEs. We understand the closure of any business can be distressing and we support our tenants to avoid this eventuality wherever possible. Unfortunately, Mr Chandarana had built up significant and unsustainable rent arrears in previous years, and in May 2024 Mr Chandarana agreed to cease trading in January 2025. The unit is also in need of repairs to ensure it meets required safety standards, and these works cannot be undertaken when the unit is trading.
“At Mr Chandarana ‘s request, we agreed to extend his stay until March 2025 without any additional rent being due. This was to enable Mr Chandarana to make the necessary arrangements to exit the unit and pay off his previous arrears. We have been clear that unfortunately he would not be able to stay longer and, while we supported him over the past 10 years, we have now reluctantly taken this decision.”
