Brixton Plaza traders protected from eviction by High Court

A group of 27 independent traders, represented by law firm Leigh Day applied for the injunction, granted by His Honour Judge Jonathan Holmes on Wednesday 8 April 2026. 
 
The traders, who have been at Brixton Plaza for up to eight years, were served with notices in March 2026, giving them around a month to vacate their premises, because of plans to build an Aldi supermarket at the site. 
 
They believe Brixton Plaza serves as a vital cultural and economic anchor that preserves the area's unique heritage and provides a sense of belonging for the local community. 
 
The High Court has ordered that the traders must not be evicted or prevented from trading unless and until the landlord Brixton Plaza Management and Governside Limited, obtains lawful authority, including a court order. 
 
It means for now, the traders can stay at Brixton Plaza and continue running their businesses. 

While the eviction notices relied on documents described as “tenancies at will”, the legal team argued that the traders were, in reality, operating under full commercial leases because of their:

• Long‑standing occupation of the premises
• Exclusive possession of their individual units
• Regular rent payments made over many years
• Significant investment in fitting out and improving their businesses.

They said the traders’ tenancies are likely to be protected under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, which provides business tenants with statutory rights to proper notice, compensation in certain circumstances, and protection from eviction without a court order. 
 
The injunction will remain in place before further court hearings to determine the nature of the traders’ legal rights, including whether their tenancies are protected under the 1954 act and whether the eviction notices were valid. 

The traders are represented by Leigh Day human rights partner, Jacqueline McKenzie with support from Jerome Bond.

Leigh Day partner Jacqueline McKenzie said:

“These 27 traders at Brixton Plaza were told to leave with just four weeks’ notice, and we welcome this injunction preventing their eviction. 
 
“At a purely legal level, the case rests on whether the agreements signed by the traders are genuinely tenancies at will, capable of being terminated at short notice, or properly constituted commercial tenancies that offer statutory protection. We argue that the way these tenancies have operated in practice, some for seven or eight years, strongly suggests they fall within the protections of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.

“More broadly, it is deeply concerning that the site owners have conditional planning permission for an Aldi supermarket, yet our clients have had no consultation on compensation or on whether they may have a place in any future development.  
 
“Given the significant investment these traders have made over many years, this injunction represents an important milestone for small traders, their employees, and the diverse and valued services they provide to the local community."