Published: Wednesday 13 July 2022
A lifelong Notting Hill resident has transformed run-down Portobello Road premises into a healthy business after taking advantage of a special lease from Kensington and Chelsea Council.
Usama Ghamhi approached the Council with his plan to open Cleanse Juice Bar and Kitchen after seeing the building, on world-famous Portobello Road, boarded up and sitting empty.
His proposal resulted in the Council offering Usama a social investment lease, which provides the entrepreneur with favourable terms and brings an unused commercial property back into action.
Speaking after renovating the building and opening Cleanse, Usama said:
“I’ve been going up and down this road every day all my life, and I saw the shop was empty for a good two years.
“I reached out to Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith and just asked ‘if I come up with a good business plan and you believe it would work, will you give me a shot?’
“It feels great and thankfully it shows to people just like me or where I’m from that anything is possible and can definitely get something if you work hard.”
Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, Lead Member for Grenfell, Housing and Social Investment, said:
“Usama’s vision and work ethic are infectious and we were only too happy to back his plans for Cleanse, which is a wonderful addition to Portobello Road’s thriving commercial line-up.
“This lease, which supports a young entrepreneur with a lifelong link to the area and breathes new life into vacant premises, is a perfect example of how social investment can have a positive impact on our residents’ lives.
“We are working hard to embed social investment across the Council, from our parks and leisure contracts to our new homes schemes.”
Social investment is how Kensington and Chelsea uses its assets and other resources to improve the prosperity and wellbeing of residents. It has been embedded in areas including grounds maintenance contracts and the Council’s new homes programme.
Recent examples of the Council’s social investment in action include:
- A 10-year grounds maintenance, sports and bereavement services contract awarded to idverde, which will see the company provide employment, skills and volunteering opportunities to the local community
- The Building Lives Academy, which provides construction skills training to young people and is based in Council-owned premises in North Kensington which have been provided to developer Willmott Dixon on a social investment lease.
To see a video of Usama and Cleanse, visit our YouTube channel.