London area that chased far-right out of town have a new target to get rid of

An east London neighbourhood has slammed a popular chain bakery which plans to open on their high street.

Walthamstow, which saw a crowd of thousands of anti-racism protesters last week in the wake of far-right riots, has now changed its goal to take down Gail’s.

Walthamstow Village residents have gathered over 700 signatures on their petition, titled ‘Prevent Gails from Establishing a Store on Our High Street’.

The petition, fit with a graphic of the Gail’s logo with two baguettes shaped into an ‘X’, reads: ‘Walthamstow Village, a vibrant local neighbourhood in London, UK, is treasured for its collection of local, independent, and family-run businesses.

‘Our high street, a spotlight for these coveted establishments, faces a threat to its uniqueness with the prospect of Gail’s, a large-scale bakery chain, setting up shop on it.’

The petitioners go on to say though they respect Gail’s for their ‘quality’, they worry the chain would overshadow much-loved local shops.

It concludes: ‘This could lead to decreased visibility and pedestrian traffic towards independently run businesses, threatening their very existence and dismantling the character and diversity crucial to Walthamstow’s charm.’

A spokesperson for Gail’s said: ‘We understand the concern around chains, but our view is that a healthy high street is one with a diversity of quality offers each delivering their best.

‘High streets evolve over time and we open our small bakeries often in closed banks or stranded restaurants.

‘All of our bakeries exist in areas where the choices are wide and growing – we should be celebrating the improvement in our food landscapes.’

A new Gail’s in a neighbourhood has long been rumoured to be a sign that an area is on the up – but not everyone is pleased about it.

One user on Reddit wrote: ‘It drives out local indie bakeries and cafes which often have much higher quality/value and are better rooted in the community.’

But one local resident observed: ‘The village is nice but there are now like 3 or 4 wine bars and I would love a Gail’s.’

Metro has reached out to the petition organiser for comment.

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