Press Release

This is Clapham BID Statement Following Disorder on Clapham High Street

Clapham BID is aware of the serious disruption that took place on Clapham High Street following a large gathering organised via social media, which resulted in disorder and caused understandable concern for local businesses, their staff, residents and visitors.

We would like to recognise the response from the Metropolitan Police, who were aware of the developing situation and deployed resources throughout the day to manage activity in the area and support businesses and the public.

However, the impact on businesses was significant. A number of retailers were forced to close early for safety reasons, and hospitality venues saw customers leave the area sooner than planned. This resulted in a clear loss of trade across the High Street during what should have been a busy trading period.

Most importantly, businesses have raised concerns about the safety and wellbeing of their staff. No business should be placed in a position where employees feel unsafe coming to work or are required to secure premises during trading hours due to disorder. Staff safety remains a top priority for This is Clapham and our members.

Clapham remains a vibrant and welcoming destination. Clapham BID continues to work closely with the Metropolitan Police, the local authority and partner organisations to support businesses, share intelligence where appropriate, and help ensure the High Street remains safe and open for everyone.

We encourage any businesses affected by the disruption to report incidents and losses so that their concerns are properly represented as we continue discussions with partners about ongoing preventative measures.

Clapham BID will continue to advocate strongly for the safety of businesses, staff and customers and for practical action to reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future.

ENDS

Info@thisisclapham.co.uk

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