Housing association says chemist must move off estate despite petition

By Else Kvist A housing association has defended its decision to force a chemist away from an East End estate. It comes after pharmacist Taisia Pianov who runs the Mayors Chemist on Merchant S

By Else Kvist

A housing association has defended its decision to force a chemist away from an East End estate.

It comes after pharmacist Taisia Pianov who runs the Mayors Chemist on Merchant Street, off Bow Road, collected 500 signatures against a compulsory purchase order to move her away from British Street Estate.

The building housing the chemist and other shop units is being demolished to make way for housing. Mrs Pianov said she and other shopkeepers had been promised they could move to shop units at another development on Bow Road, but that East End Homes struck a deal allowing Tesco to move in instead.

East End Homes said in a statement that despite extensive discussions over several years with Mrs Pianov it had been difficult to secure a way forward. One of the disagreements centred around financial compensation.

East End Homes said that in the end they accepted an offer from Tesco instead as they had to move forward.

Mrs Pianov said she has been pleading to stay until she has at least secured a licence to relocate her chemist to another shop she has bought in Bow Road.

But East End Homes is now seeking a court order to move Mrs Pianov out of the shop.