A Brixton Village trader said they “wanted to die” when bailiffs changed the locks on his restaurant after he missed a single rent repayment. Salpikė was shuttered by landlord Hondo Enterprises on Friday, April 24, much to the surprise of distraught owner William Mejia.
The 42-year-old initially owed more than £80,000 in arrears but had agreed to pay £8,000 a month from early February to slash the sum. He was then told to pay an additional £1,000 last week to cover gas and fire alarm certificates, a request he claims pushed his finances to the limit.
“I’ve been paying an extra £2,000 a week for two months but last Monday [April 20], I just couldn’t make it. I hoped to earn money on Tuesday and Wednesday but the market was so quiet because of the Tube strikes. I managed to make some money so I planned to pay them but when I came in to collect it from the restaurant, the locks were changed. They said I missed the deadline and that was it.”
The shock move left William fearing not only for his livelihood but for the wellbeing of his family. Earnings from the Latin American-Caribbean spot help provide for his sister and elderly mother. “Without this restaurant, I don’t want to live,” he told MyLondon, “I’ve been working so hard just to pay them and since Friday I’ve barely eaten. They’ve treated me so, so badly.
“My passion is food, my mum’s passion is food, my sister’s passion is food. It’s a family business. The money we make helps people back home. I just want to work but can’t do anything at the moment. My fridge is full of food that’s just going to spoil because they won’t let me in.”
William has been in contact with Hondo Enterprises to beg for a second chance and be allowed to keep cooking. He is yet to receive a reply.
Five days prior to the lease forfeiture, a credit controller working on behalf of the company requested the £2,000 weekly payment as they had “an urgent deadline to hit” and the money “would really help us out”. William also met with Brixton Village managers Munroe K Asset Management, who told him his time at market is finished.
First opened in 2023, Salpiké specialises in Afro-Caribbean cuisine, and sells curries, patties, jerk chicken and empanadas. The restaurant went viral in 2025 when a passer-by and marketer offered to help revamp the unit.
Since then, the food has been featured by several Instagram and TikTok influencers and even grabbed the attention of rapper Stormzy. Despite the newfound publicity, William continues to struggle against falling footfall and poor market conditions.
“Everyone in Brixton Village is struggling,” he explained, “There’s just not enough money around with the way the world is right now. Back in the day it was busy, people would spend, but now they’ll share a jerk chicken between two and only order tap water. My tables are empty”
William has reached out to Brixton MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy and the Brixton Market and Village Traders Association (BMVTA) for support. Kat Miles, chair of the BMTVA, said: “The treatment of William is absolutely shocking. His repayment plan, which he has been following since February without fail, is not reasonable and would break any business – but William has been doing his best because he wants to stay and trade in our community.
“We are appalled by his treatment and demand Hondo Enterprises act to let William back into his shop. The mistreatment of tenants has been the norm in the market but it won’t be tolerated anymore. The community won’t have it, and neither will we.”
Hondo Enterprises has been approached for comment.
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