GREENWICH traders say the town centre is “losing its character” as high rents force bookstores and antique shops to close down.

Shopkeepers are blaming the massive surge in rents on an influx of high street stores and fast food giants which are pushing smaller, independent shops out of the historic area.

One shop, Halcyon Books, was forced to shut its Nelson Road branch three months ago following a 70 per cent increase which took the rent to more than £25,000 a year.

Chris Hubbard, who manages the other branch of the family-run bookshop, in Greenwich South Street, said: “Slowly but surely, a lot of the interesting shops are going. Greenwich is an historic area but it’s losing its character due to higher rents. It would be a shame if it turned into a place for selling mobile phones and cheap microwave food.” Another shop, Peter Laurie Maritime Antiques, will close by the end of the summer following a similar rent increase in September which took its rent to more than £20,000 a year.

Owner Peter Laurie, who is relocating to Barcelona, said: “It was like forced redundancy. I’ve been here for more than 20 years. Some of these shopkeepers have been here longer than that.” He added: “There’s a lot of money being poured into developing Greenwich. As a consequence rent values increased, getting rid of small shops and putting in high street stores. It’s a very similar sequence of events that’s happened in other areas such as Covent Garden.” Greenwich Town Centre Traders’ Association chairman Rob Toogood says multi-corporations such as McDonald’s and Pizza Express are a significant factor in rising rents.

He added: “Some of the traders are being priced out of the market. That’s a result of them benefiting from lower rents in years gone by.” ING Real Estate Investment Management, which acts as agent for the area’s main landlord, Greenwich Hospital Estates, says rent increases are based on evidence from open market lettings, rent reviews and lease renewals.

Spokesman Mark Bunney said: “The hospital pursues an active management policy to try and ensure a variety of retailers are represented so the centre might appeal to both residents and visitors alike.

“Some of the older leases do not provide the same controls as the more modern leases and sometimes tenants will sublet or assign their premises.”