Thousands of people back Streatham café owner threatened with eviction after 15 years

Kaz Odutayo has operated Pause Coffee Shop for 15 years
Save Our Streatham Shop
Sophie Williams14 October 2018

Customers are rallying around a shop owner in Streatham who has been told to leave his premises after 15 years.

Kaz Odutayo has run Pause Coffee Shop outside Streatham railway station for the past 15 years. His shop has been described by customers as a “fabulous local café”.

He leases the space from Govia Thameslink Railway who told him to leave in 2016, saying that he has been subletting the premises.

Mr Odutayo denies this and has launched a legal battle to stop Govia Thameslink Railway from evicting him. He is currently awaiting a court date.

Mr Odutayo pictured with actor David Harewood inside Pause Coffee Shop
Kaz Odutayo

“I don’t sublet my shop to anybody, the people that are left are my staff and they were given badges by southern to be able to be in the shop. So I said I don’t know what they are talking about,” he said.

Mr Odutayo says he is running the business at 55 percent of what he normally used to because of the uncertainty. He has had to let some of his staff go.

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas pictured with Mr Odutayo inside Pause Coffee shop
Kaz Odutayo

He added: “It’s unfortunate we have to go through this. I just want to do my business and tend to my customers. I’ve been in the area for 20 years.

"I’ve known customers that were kids that now are going to work and have their own kids. It’s a really family friendly local shop and people love it.”

Customers of Pause Coffee Shop have rallied around Mr Odutayo and organised their own petition to help save the store. A physical paper petition has over 3,000 signatures on top of the online petition.

Among those customers are Chuka Umunna, Jonathan Bartley and Caroline Lucas who Mr Odutayo says have been “massively involved” in helping him campaign to stay in the shop.

“I’ve had Chuka Umunna who has been fantastic from the onset. He’s been massively involved. Jonathan Bartley, leader of the Green Party comes in every day and asks if there is any news. Him and Chuka wrote to the head of Thameslink Govia to urge them to sort it.”

Other customers have shared their support for Pause Coffee Shop on Twitter.

Tomos Coles said: “Surely something can be done about this? Replacing fabulous local places like this with chains represents an alarming change in Streatham.”

Mr Odutayo pictured handing in a petition to Govia Thameslink Railway (Kaz Odutayo)

A customer support group titled Save Our Streatham Shop told the Standard: "Anyone who has walked through Streatham Station will have enjoyed first-hand the joy (and jazz) that Kaz Odutayo breathes into the station.

"His charismatic personality and instant likeability brings a personal touch to the station. The success of the petition is testimony to the many happy customers who all would like to see Pause Coffee Shop remain.”

Mr Odutayo said wants to sit down with Govia Thameslink Railway and discuss the issues.

He said: “Just give me some kind of guarantee that we’re going to sit down and sort this mess. I want to know what the problem is, where we went wrong and sit down and sort this out.”

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway said: “It is with regret that we decided to ask Mr Odutayo to leave.

"We found he was sub-letting the property in breach of his Tenancy at Will. The court ruled back in April that the tenant does not have a lease to the premises at the station and that he vacate the premises.

"We manage our tenancy portfolio fairly with the intention of giving our passengers the best possible retail service."

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