I was surprised to read an article posted by your young reporter and would like to have the opportunity to respond and ask that you in some way post this or cover our story giving a more objective and factual account.

We are local parents and started Eddie Catz 10 years ago off our own backs with a bank loan.

We are one of our borough’s success stories and we regularly mentor other local businesses as well as provide employment in our community and work placements from many schools such as Richmond Park Academy, so I am absolutely horrified that you would publish this article.

One of the three highly successful Eddie Catz venues is potentially facing closure in Putney due to a redevelopment scheme planned by British Land opposed by many residents.

The proposal is to turn the building where we are housed into an eight-storey high rise of 110 flats. It has nothing to do with the success of our business nor are we in any sort of difficulty competing in the market.

We offer indoor play and educational activities and preschool classes which parents feel very strongly about as no parent, including myself, wants a child made lazy and potentially obese by back-to-back Candy Crush games on an iPad, which we all know would hamper all physical and social development.

A huge portion of our business also depends on hosting children’s birthday parties that just cannot be done on a computer.

We have launched a campaign to be re-situated in the new scheme as we feel we owe it to our community. Since the plans have been deposited parents, schools, residents and our regular customers have come forth to lobby as they feel strongly that we are a service to the community and want British Land to re-site Eddie Catz in the new scheme.

Yes, it would be incredibly sad if we were no longer in the place we started our business, but it would be a loss to the community more than anything.

MARIA JOHNSON

Co-Founder and CEO Eddie Catz

 

 

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