A chicken shop owner in Bromley claims his life has been turned upside down after the council ordered his business to close in plans to demolish the building, despite him claiming he was never properly informed.
Sam, who opened Ask Wings on Croydon Road in June 2024, says he took out a £150,000 loan and remortgaged his home to get the business off the ground.
But in January 2025, Bromley Council asked him to shut the shop, saying the building was unsafe for the public.
The closure came after structural issues were discovered in the building that houses the former Mitre pub and neighbouring properties, including Ask Wings.
Sam told the News Shopper: “They closed it because the building was not safe for the public – I was not aware of this.
“It’s affecting my business, my family and everyone by this disaster.”
The shop is located at 166 Croydon Road; part of a terrace Sam claims has affected “three or four” other neighbouring properties too.
Sam said residents above his premises vacated in 2024, but that he continued trading on advice from his surveyor, who found no reason to stop operating.
He explained: “It wasn’t just my shop; it was the next three or four properties which have been affected too.”
Bromley Council said that emergency demolition was necessary due to the “unstable” condition of the building, which posed a threat to public safety.
Croydon Road was closed to the public between Samos Road and Weighton Road on Thursday evening (July 24) to allow demolition work to take place.
The road reopened the following evening after the hoarding was adjusted to contain the affected area.
Sam also claims that after being asked to close, the council took no further steps to update him or discuss demolition plans.
He claims vital business equipment was damaged during initial safety work, and that he’s now been left without income while still facing mounting debts.
Sam added: “First time they said business isn’t safe and they broke all my things inside, and I lost everything.
“All I am asking after three months is: why are they demolishing it?”
Bromley Council confirmed the building is being demolished, citing urgent safety concerns.
A spokesperson for Bromley Council said: “The council is extremely sorry that this demolition work has become necessary for safety reasons and fully appreciates the distress caused by the disruption.
“Unfortunately, the council has had to step in to make the buildings safe in order to prevent potential harm from collapse to residents and passing pedestrians and traffic, as the building owners had not resolved serious issues with the properties identified some months ago.”
The council said it has worked to support affected residents and businesses but that compensation for financial loss must be pursued through insurance and the building owners.
“Whilst the council’s responsibilities are limited to making the buildings safe, every effort has been made to support residents and businesses affected,” the spokesperson said.“unfortunately the council is not able to compensate for consequential loss.”
Temporary traffic lights and one-way working remain in place on Croydon Road while safety work continues, according to the Bromley Council spokesperson.
Sam, who lives in Lewisham with his three children, said he now struggles with his mental health and is receiving treatment.
Sam added: “It is very stressful, and I am taking medication.
“Since I closed, I have no income – and I have remortgaged my house to open this business.
“I was running a popular, good business – I was paying gradually everything up to date.”
A Bromley Council spokesperson said, “This safety related demolition work has been an absolute last resort, given the advice of our structural engineers about the building becoming more unstable.
“We know this has been an immensely difficult time for residents and affected businesses who we have sought to support and we are grateful for their understanding.
“It is now for the building owners again to take forward and resolve the remaining issues.”
