Owner of a Caribbean restaurant fights to remove telecom boxes blocking her business for 13 years.
Debbie Monfries owns Umana Yana, a Caribbean restaurant in south London. She says five boxes hurt her business and block the view of her the restaurant.
The boxes went up in 2012, and Debbie claims her earnings dropped then. She and the council tried to get them removed. In October, she learned the boxes would stay, and she worried she’d have to close her restaurant. Hope came on Wednesday, February 12th.
Helen Hayes, a Member of Parliament, presented a petition in Parliament. It asks for the boxes to be removed, as Hayes supports the restaurant. Hayes praised Monfries and her food. She said the boxes hurt the business and hide it from people passing by.
The petition wants new rules that would protect small businesses. Telecom companies would compensate them for problems, and over 1,700 locals signed it.
Debbie says stress made her sick, and she had a heart attack in 2020. Before the boxes, she made £70,000-£80,000 a year. After, she only made about £30,000. She says people can’t see her restaurant now.
Passing customers were important before, and she has struggled since the drop. Debbie tried many things to remove them, starting petitions and contacting politicians. The council finally told her no in October. This was twelve years after installation.
The council says it tried to help, but telecom companies do not need permission. They can install boxes without asking anyone, and one officer called it the “worst case.”
The council said it couldn’t remove them, as the boxes were installed legally. People supported Debbie online when she shared her story. Central Cee, a rapper, gave her £15,000.
Debbie thanked everyone for their help. She makes authentic Guyanese food and hopes she can keep cooking it. The government has two months to review it. The council says they helped as much as possible.
They say telecom firms do not need permission and want more power over the boxes. The council explored mediation and offered to advertise Umana Yana on the boxes. They feel bad for Debbie and made a special rule for her area.