Customers start petition to save Chiswick café

Eric and his café

“Café Terra has been far more than a café”

Customers of the Café Terra, inside the Everlast Gym in Grove Park, have started a petition to save the café from closure.

Eric, who has been running it for more than a decade, told The Chiswick Calendar he had recently received notice from Everlast to vacate the premises by the end of the year, with no indication as to why this decision was made.

The gym owners are entitled not to renew his lease, but their disregard for a small business that is highly valued by their membership has been met with outrage by customers and community members.

“Café Terra has been far more than a café” Cloudia Charalambos told us.

“Run by Eric, himself an athlete with a background in swimming and running, it has become a vital part of the gym’s daily life.

“Eric has built long-standing relationships with members, trainers and staff, offering consistency, encouragement and genuine connection.

“He teaches swimming, organises community runs and is often the first friendly face members see when they arrive, helping to shape the welcoming, people-centred culture that defines the gym”.

Everlast Gym, Chiswick

Termination of a lease spirals into community stand against a large corporation

Eric has built a close community of Everlast Gym members, who have now rushed in to defend him.

Their petition, to ‘Preserve What Works’, describes Café Terra as ‘not simply a café,’ but a ‘long-standing fixture that brings people together.’

They are calling on Everlast to engage in an open dialogue with customers about the future of Café Terra.

‘Now is the time for Everlast to hear directly from its members before decisions are made that could significantly affect the Chiswick community,’ they say.

What may have started out at a story about a local businessman fighting for survival, has quickly spiralled into a community stand against a large corporation.

Everlast is one of many assets under the Frasers Group, owned by billionaire Mike Ashley. The company took ownership of the Chiswick gym from Roko earlier this year. It is unclear as yet what plans they have made for the cafe’s replacement.

Eric is clearly popular with members. The petition gained sixty signatures in just a few hours on Monday (15 December) and by the evening that was up to over 100.

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