The new David Beckham ad for Sky Sports which has started airing to preview the new football season features a traditional English Pie and Mash shop as part of the storytelling, requested by David himself.
Cookes Pie and Mash shop in Shepherds Bush has been in business since 1899 and pies and liquor for the Paris ad shoot were hand delivered by long term owner Audrey Boughton. But the business has been under pressure from property developers and a compliant Hammersmith Council looking to sweep away over a hundred years of retail tradition for a number of Goldhawk Road shops and replace them with a modern residential development.
Here's Audrey:
“We were proud and delighted to be asked to supply the pies for David’s Ad. We are a business founded in community, tradition and our local roots, and admire David for never losing his. Being near to QPRs ground we are very used to being part of both the football player and fan community”.
"But all our traditions are close to disappearing with the plans in place to compulsory purchase our shop and those of our neighbours. At a time when British retail is struggling it staggers is that shops trading well – and with an individual streak – can be sacrificed like this. It seems to go against all that the Government, Boris Johnson and the likes of Mary Portas are supposedly championing.
"What makes it worse is that rumours have been spread from somewhere that we have already shut down. That is not the case and we are fighting tooth and nail through the Courts to preserve our shop and what we believe in".
The next leg of the battle is set for this Monday and Tuesday in the High Court and all support that can be shown in evidence for their shops, retail heritage and the fairness of our Council's approach along with their colleagues Orion the property developers will help their case.
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