‘Gail’s is opening in our neighbourhood – the rest of London needs to stop being so resistant’

Staff
By Staff

Gail’s is opening a new bakery in Streatham. The chain’s rapid expansion has been met with disdain from vocal opponents who claim it’s a worrying sign of gentrification.

After other sites opened in Walthamstow, Stoke Newington and Primrose Hill over the past 12 months, many fear the popular chain could drive out much-loved local stores which been in the community for decades.

Despite this recent history, the sentiment appears to be different in this pocket of South London. Rather than occupying a unit on an idyllic street alongside independent cafes, the new Streatham Hill site will sit on the busy A23 where a former pet shop closed more than a year ago.

Other chains including M&S, Starbucks and Betfred already operate on the road, while there isn’t a huge selection of cafes and bakeries. It’s these different circumstances that have contributed to Streatham locals being more positive about the new Gail’s.

“It’s the best thing that could’ve happened,” Downton Avenue resident Mike said as he wheeled his daughter’s pushchair along Streatham Hill. “There’s lots of young families around here who want good places to get pastries and tea.

“I think Walthamstow is a different case as there’s already lots of good independents, but in Streatham we’re not taking our kids to Dominoes on a Saturday morning.”

Angel Ito, who co-owns Cornercopia – a plant store two doors down from the new Gail’s – believes Gail’s is a good indication that Streatham is improving. Despite this, he claims landlords have already caught on to this and upped the rent for other shops in Streatham Hill.

He told MyLondon: “Our rent has gone up by £10,000 a year, or roughly 10 per cent. It’s a gamble but some businesses here are looking to bear it as their customers might increase.

“We’re one of the shops that should see more customers because of it.” This theory was supported by India Parkman, a barista at nearby Batch & Co, who said her former employer Perfect Blend was forced to shut after 25 years in 2024 due to increased rents.

Angel believes Streatham Hill has always been a family orientated area with or without gentrification, so the impact of a new Gail’s will be different compared to other areas.

“It’s a divisive harbinger for what’s coming,” he added. “It’s a desert up here for a really good bakery so it could be popular. There’s quiet pockets of wealth around here which Gail’s will cater to.”

Streatham mum Zee Jones, who has lived in the area for 11 years, said the new Gail’s will increase the options available for local people.

“It’s nice to sit down and have an artichoke quiche,” she jokingly added. “I like it a lot.”

“I can hear both sides, but there aren’t many bakeries around here. Many independent ones already have their set clientele, so they shouldn’t really be affected.”

Gail’s will open its Streatham Hill bakery in mid-August, but is yet to confirm an exact date. The company has submitted plans to convert the former site of Dr Doolittle’s pet shop into a bakery. Lambeth Council planning documents state the application is open for public consultation until August 1.

Opponents to the new Gail’s in Streatham Hill are worried the upmarket bakery is a clear sign of demographic change in the area. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th century Streatham was considered a middle class suburb of South London.

The post-war ‘flight from the cities’ led to much of its population being replaced by working class communities, often with roots in Africa and the Caribbean. 21st century gentrification has put the area on the map again for young professionals and young families due to its quick connections to Central London.

Properties in Streatham are also considerably cheaper than nearby Balham and Brixton, but still sit at a hefty £558k. This is out of reach for younger working class families who grew up in the area.

Reacting to a post on X, formerly Twitter, about the Gail’s shopfront being spotted, one person wrote: “This continued gentrification is breaking my heart. People who aren’t from here don’t really care that Streatham is losing its character.

“And I’m not talking about migrants, but people from other parts of the UK wanting to instil their view of what they think SW16 should be.”

Another wrote: “Gail’s is nice but another Bakery/Coffee Shop, really? Seems like that’s all that ever opens in Streatham these days.”

Responding to this uncertainty, a Gail’s spokesperson said: “The bakery will create a range of new jobs within the community, including craft baking, barista, and management roles. We will also be donating surplus baked goods through our Neighbourly partnership. This is part of our ongoing commitment to giving back to the communities we serve and improving access to quality food and drink on the high-street.”

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