Hackney (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hackney juice bar Faith in Nature’s Juices has been refused permission for four outdoor tables, with the owner calling the council’s decision “ridiculous.”
The proprietor of Hackney‘s Faith in Nature’s Juices claimed that after waiting years for the municipality to finish restoring a nearby park so he could finally serve a few more clients, the Town Hall snubbed the business when the project was finished.
“We need to maximise footfall as much as we can in the summer,”
said juice and smoothie bar founder Christoph John.
“The last owner utilised this space, but the council says I can’t even put the awning down because it encroaches on their entrance to the park and they don’t want any clutter on the forecourt,” he added. “Yet it’s a huge distance away. It’s ridiculous.”
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) outside his café, which borders the entrance to the newly-regenerated Abney Park cemetery, Christoph said:
“I’m not asking for anything outrageous. Four tables is not a massive ask.”
Between 2021 and 2024, the 13-hectare park, one of London’s “Magnificent Seven” cemeteries was restored for £5 million.
According to Christoph, he received an estimate for his company’s usage of the approximately five meters of space outside the windows prior to the renovation. However, this possibility seems to have been buried when the project was completed in August of last year.
“We had so many obstacles and hurdles to overcome because of the regeneration,”
he said, describing site contractors’ accessing his building to deal with a sewage line connected to the park, which released “terrible” smells into the bar.
“I accommodated disruption from the council because I wanted the project to go smoothly, to the detriment of the business. The simple reality is now we have someone on our doorstep on the other side of the gates doing the same thing, with at least forty tables outside,” he added.
Despite being informed, the council is eager to keep the forecourt clear of clutter. According to Christoph, he has frequently discovered the area littered or utilized for parking e-bikes, and occasionally as a restroom. Other independents in the neighborhood, he observes, appear to have tables and chairs in the “wildest places.”
He added:
“I feel like we’ve been unfairly treated, and that it has something to do with the fact that we’d be competing with the café inside the cemetery.”
Speaking to the LDRS, Green party councillor for Stoke Newington, Liam Davis, said:
“There is nothing in the council’s own plans or the site’s listed status that prevents a couple of tables and chairs here. Instead, we get the same old ‘computer says no’ excuses about so-called clutter.”
In response to the LDRS, Hackney Council stated that it did not have any documentation of police advising café owners on the placement of tables and chairs outside prior to the renovation. Although the council was dedicated to helping local companies, Cllr Susan Fajana-Thomas, the borough’s lead for Community Safety and Regulatory Services, stated that granting approval was now against its rules and principles.
Cllr. Fajana-Thomas further mentioned that while renting a bike was permitted in the park forecourt, bicycles that were “dumped” there would be reported to the carriers. According to her, council gardeners were also busily removing trash from the entrance area.
“As soon as we become aware of any problems with urine or excrement, we take appropriate action.”
What are the health benefits of cold-pressed juices from Faith in Nature’s Juices?
The cold-press procedure does not involve heat or oxygen, but instead retains more of vitamins (the vitamins C, A, and K), minerals (potassium and magnesium), antioxidants, and plant compounds called phytonutrients. The result is a nutrient dense drink, allowing for more concentrated doses of fruits and vegetables – in liquid form!
Cold-pressed juices remove insoluble fiber, allowing for less strain on the digestive system and a quicker, more effective absorption of the nutrients into your system. This may have a place for people with sensitive stomachs, or digestive issues.
Unlike soda and energy drinks that cause large blood sugar spikes and drops, such as with the sugary beverages, cold pressed juices offer natural sugars plus the electrolytes, potassium and magnesium for steady and long-lasting energy.
