Hundreds of Harold Wood residents have rallied round their local newsagent who stands to lose his home and job.

Local landlords, Bates and Son have applied to bulldoze a row of shops in Church Road to make way for a new office block and car park.

They say they are "meeting a demand" for local office space but newsagent Rasikial Patel, who has lived and worked in the Shipla newsagents for 17 years with his wife Sumitraben and son Naynesh, fears it will mean an end to his family business.

More than 500 local people and loyal customers, including Harold Wood councillor Caroline Wood, have signed a petition blocking the move.

Mr Patel said: "I don't know what we will do if the demolition goes ahead. My family will lose its home and business all in one go.

"I have served this community for the last 17 years. This shop provides all the essentials for the less mobile people in the area.

"The nearest shops to here are in Station Road or Harold Hill, that is much too far for elderly and disabled people to travel just for a pint of milk."

He added: "My customers could not believe it when I told them what Bates are planning to do and they have all been very supportive."

Cllr Wood said: "I totally object to this planning application for a number of reasons, including the fact that Mr Patel and his family will be made homeless."

She said other factors, like an additional 30 to 100 staff in the new office block will increase the amount of traffic and make the road more dangerous.

She added: "I am led to believe that there are vacant spaces in the current office buildings in Church Road. If the demand for office space is so great then they should fill up the existing offices before building another one."

Roger Goodland from Bates and Son said the company will make sure the extra space in the new offices will be rented before any demolition or building work starts.

He said: "We have put in a planning application to demolish the buildings and put up a new office block. Anyone can put a planning application in for any piece of land. It doesn't mean the plans will be carried out.

"There are already three empty shops in that parade and we are just looking at other possibilities for that site."

Demolition room: Rasikial Patel with his wife Sumitraben and son Naynesh holds up the petition he is hoping will save the business he has run for the last 17 years.

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