Kensington Market Is In Crisis After Over 20 Shops Have Had To Shut Their Doors Forever
After a tumultuous year, the Kensington Market Business Improvement Area is calling out for help.
They say that 21 businesses have closed permanently in the last 12 months.
Kensington Market BIA posted a graphic to their Instagram page, including a detailed list of shuttered businesses and their demands for revitalization.
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The BIA is has laid out three things necessary to keep the market afloat:
- Better protection for commercial leaseholders
- Preserving cultural institutions
- Support new and thriving businesses
"We are calling on all government officials to bring better support to our small businesses," said the organization.
"One immediate concern is that there is no protection for commercial lease holders. This is a major factor in many of the closures during COVID shut downs," they continued.
They also spoke on the cultural significance of the businesses that have been lost to 2020.
"Many of the businesses that have closed are cultural institutions in their own right and losing them will have a disastrous effect on the energy of our neighbourhood," they said.
Last month, multiple popular Kensington venues and bars closed down, including The Boat and Cold Tea.
If you have the means, you may want to consider ordering take-out from a Kensington business this weekend!