Hackney’s unemployed will be given preferential treatment for jobs created by a £5.3 million investment into a retail outlet.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has pledged the money from his London regeneration fund in an effort to create a high fashion hub in Morning Lane, following on from the success of the Burberry outlet store on Chatham Place.
Up to 200 jobs will be available through a council run scheme and will give priority to applicants from the local area.
Hackney Central councillor Samantha Lloyd said: “Lots of tourists go to the Burberry shop. A third of the people who visit the shop actually buy something, so it’s very successful.
“There are not a lot of huge names on Mare Street, with the creation of the retail outlet we can encourage more people to shop in Hackney Central and for longer.”
The money is part of a £50 million regeneration fund set up by City Hall to support the areas worst hit by the 2011 summer riots. And 12 railway arches, owned by Network Rail, are still available for rent by other top designers.
The project hopes to draw footfall similar to that driven by the Burberry shop, which attracts one million visitors every year. In the wake of the riots, footfall decreased dramatically, as customers were too scared to spend time in the area.
Sahdz Kraslan, who owns the restaurant Bohemia, said: “When residents walk on the streets they don’t feel safe. We did very well before the riots. Some of our regulars were elderly people and some of them haven’t come back because they don’t feel safe outside.”
Nearby, the modern glass Service First Centre and iconic Picture House cinema have earned Mare Street a status as the centre of development.
Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, said: “Hackney Central has so much to offer in terms of culture, vibrancy and opportunity. This investment has the potential to create a unique attraction that can give the borough a significant economic boost.
“Now we’ll get on with the business of driving the development forward, attracting retailers, creating up to 200 jobs for local people and making the very best of this great opportunity for Hackney.”
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