A GUTTED gran fears she may have to close her Caribbean restaurant after learning that five large telecom boxes, which block the business from view, will not be removed.
Debbie Monfries claims the boxes – some of which stand 6ft tall – have “ruined” passing trade at Umana Yana in Herne Hill, south London, as they obstruct the view of the restaurant from potential customers.
She added that the boxes, installed in 2012, immediately impacted her revenue by obstructing visibility and deterring passing trade.
The grandmother-of-six then started complaining to Southwark Council, hoping they could be removed, and over the years has received plenty of support – including from famous faces like rapper Central Cee.
After 12 years of trying to have the boxes removed, Debbie was finally informed last week that they would remain, leaving her worried about the future of her beloved restaurant.
The 64-year-old from Croydon, says her health has suffered because of the stress – leading to her suffering a heart attack in 2020.
Debbie is now appealing to her local MP in hopes of reversing the decision, fearing she may have to close her restaurant if the situation isn’t resolved.
Southwark Council said they had been trying to facilitate a resolution for “a number of years” – but claimed that under government rules, telecom companies can install their boxes without planning permission from councils.
In 2020, things got tough
Debbie Monfries
Debbie said: “Before the boxes were installed, our annual revenue was between £70,000 and £80,000. After they were put there, it dropped to around £30,000.
“This was almost immediate. There was a clear link.
“The boxes block the restaurant from view. We used to depend on passing trade, but now, no potential customers can see the restaurant.
“We’ve never been able to recover from it. It’s been so stressful.”
Debbie said the stress of the situation became almost unmanageable in 2020.
“In 2020, things got tough,” she added.
“I couldn’t afford rising bills – and the boxes were ruining business. I had a heart attack.
“It was really, really hard. It’s emotional to think about.”
Since the boxes were installed outside Umana Yana, Debbie has been fighting to have them removed, but getting responses from Southwark Council has been an ongoing struggle.
Debbie has launched petitions, reached out to politicians, and even presented her case at the Council Assembly.
However, it wasn’t until October 8 – 12 years after the boxes were first installed – that Southwark Council finally gave her a definite answer.
A council officer admitted to a planning committee that the situation was the “worst case” he had ever seen, according to Southwark News.
However, when asked if the council would remove them, he responded with a firm “no,” stating that the boxes had been installed “lawfully.”
Debbie is frustrated that it took this long to get an answer.
She said: “They took 12 years to tell me this. If, when we first started this fight, they had sat me down and said, ‘Look, we can’t do anything.’ At least I would have known.
“They could have given me some options – maybe helped me relocate. But now, there are no options.
It’s making my life harder
Debbie Monfries
“It’s too expensive to move. It’s too expensive to do anything. So I feel like I am trapped in a situation that’s not going to get better.”
Debbie said she is determined to continue her fight to have the boxes removed and hopes her MP, Helen Hayes, will bring her case to the House of Commons.
The 64-year-old revealed that she is managing to stay afloat, but only by making her life more difficult, which isn’t a sustainable solution.
“I’m only able to keep going because I’ve been taking my food to markets to sell,” Debbie said.
“But I’m 64. I can’t keep running around London in order to pay my rent. It’s making my life harder.
“I should be able to run my restaurant without being forced to do this.”
Debbie said that since sharing her story on social media, people have been coming out to support her restaurant.
This has included rapper Central Cee – who donated £15,000 to help Debbie.
The 26-year-old, from Shepherd’s Bush, also appeared alongside Debbie in a video shot by Vice, where she teaches him to cook Guyanese food.
She said: “I want to thank Central Cee for taking time out of his busy schedule to give his full support to the ‘Save Umana Yana’ campaign.
“Central Cee, it was great meeting you personally, and it was a shock to me that you are so famous but it has not gone to your head. You are so down to earth that your love touches all.”
Debbie also expressed her gratitude to the residents who have shown tremendous support.
She said: “The customers who know about me support me and love the restaurant.
“I was born in Guyana and so I cook authentic Guyanese food. When I started, I was filling a gap in the London market.
“I just hope I can continue to do so.”
Commenting on the situation, Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes & Sustainable Development at Southwark Council, said: “We have been in support of the Umana Yana campaign – trying to facilitate a resolution with the telecom companies over a number of years whereby they remove their boxes.
“Under government rules, telecom companies can install their boxes without planning permission from councils.
“Since trying to help facilitate between all parties, we have always been clear that the boxes were lawfully installed and we join others in calling for councils to be given more power to act in these situations.
“Different routes we have explored over the years have included looking into a meditator and advertising Umana Yana on the boxes with the telecom companies’ consent.
“We have every sympathy for Umana Yana’s owner, which is why we put forward an Article 4 motion.
“This requires telecom companies to ask us for planning permission to install their boxes, masts, and similar structures at this location, including any replacements.”
You can also ask a councillor to help with your complaint.
When writing a complaint letter, you can include a bullet-style list of the issue, when it happened, and how it has affected you.
