A South London fruit seller is fighting to stay on his stall of two decades after a company behind controversial plans for a 20-storey Brixton tower block tried to kick him out.

A Hondo Enterprises employee threatened to set in motion Phillip Chong’s eviction from Brixton Village Market last week. 

The company owned by Texan millionaire DJ Taylor Williams has been trying to get 65-year-old Mr Chong to move from his stall since April 2021.

Hondo has offered Mr Chong alternative spots in Brixton Village, but he argues they don’t get the same footfall as his current shop and wants to stay.

Wandsworth Times: Email sent to Phillip by Hondo employee threatening him with eviction (photo: Robert Firth)Email sent to Phillip by Hondo employee threatening him with eviction (photo: Robert Firth) (Image: Robert Firth)

Hondon bought Brixton Village for around £37 million in 2018 and is behind plans to construct a giant office block on Pope’s Road near the market. 

Last week the company raised the stakes, threatening to start eviction proceedings on October 10 if Mr Chong didn’t agree to the options offered to him by the company. 

But it has since backtracked, telling the Local Democracy Service that he “is not being evicted.”

Mr Chong, who has run his stall, Phil’s Fruit & Veg, out of Brixton Village since 2004, said: “I want to stay here. I have been here 20 years and I’ve seen good times and bad times. I’m not giving up yet. 

“They want to evict me but I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve always paid the rent on time. They just want to get rid of me.

“They’ve given me options to move to within the Village but this is the main area and the other areas don’t get the same footfall.

"I was here before Hondo took the place over, but to them it doesn’t carry any weight.”

An email sent to Mr Chong by a Hondo employee last week reads: “Please confirm how you would like to proceed in line with my email dated 16 September by the end of the weekend.

"If I’ve not heard from you I’ll be left with no option but to commence vacant possession proceedings on Monday morning [October 10].”

Mr Chong said that even though Hondo had offered him a £50 discount on the alternative stores, the rent reduction wouldn’t cover the costs of reduced customer numbers.

Mr Chong said that he leases the unit from Hondo on a tenancy at will, which allows the company to boot him out at any time.

The agreement also allows Mr Chong to leave the stall at any time. 

He is continuing speaking to Hondo but fears the company is determined to move him on.

Mr Chong said: “I still want to stay here but they’re not hearing it. This has been going on for over a year and they’re adamant I should go.” 

Hondo has previously attracted controversy by trying to evict food shop Nour Cash & Carry from its unit in Brixton Market.

The company said it needed to build an electrical substation where the store was located.

It backtracked on the plans and granted Nour a long-term lease in the market in 2020.

A Hondo spokesperson said: “As a long-standing trader, keeping Phil’s Fruit and Veg stall in the market has always been our preferred option.

"Phil is not being evicted, as we are currently in discussions with him to reach a mutually agreed outcome to keep him in the market.”