A MOBILE phone repair stall is to leave Reading’s Broad St Mall at the end of the month, and its operators have said the decision is ‘unfair and unethical’.
Deepak Dhall, 37, and partner Harjinderpal Singh have run the Quick Phone Repair stall at the entrance to the mall since September 2019.
The couple said they were shocked to return from a family funeral in India to find they were losing their pitch. Mr Dhall said the initial notice gave them less than two weeks to prepare.
He said: “We were in India at a family funeral, we returned on Monday, September 19, when everything was closed because of the funeral of the Queen. The next day, we started looking – we hardly got a week to look for another place.
“They said we have no space, there are empty units in the mall, there are spaces in the mall, it’s only targeted at us.”
Mr Dhall said in July the mall had changed their licence periods from six months to one, adding the threat of closure has taken its toll on the partners.
“We’re really stressed, we’re seeking medication now. My partner Harjinderpal is really ill, sick every morning, because we can’t sleep,” he said.
“It’s our bread and butter, we don’t have any other business. How would anyone feel when they don’t know where they are going to get their Christmas bread and butter from?
“It’s unfair and unethical. We really need justice.”
He said when the Mall changed to rolling monthly licences, notice could have been given at that time. By giving it in the middle of the month, Mr Dhall said it only gave them 10 days, which he felt was not enough.
Since then, Quick Phone Repair have since been given an extra month before they have to leave.
Mr Dhall is concerned they will be unable to find anywhere ahead of the Christmas period.
A spokesperson for Broad Street Mall said: “The contract between Mr Dhall and Mr Singh trading as Quick Phone Repair and Broad Street Mall operated on a 30-day trading licence agreement.
“At the end of the term either party can choose not to renew.”
They continued: “Broad Street Mall has reached an agreement with Quick Phone Repair to extend their trading licence until the end of October as a goodwill gesture, with the tenants being aware that they will leave the centre as of that date.
“Broad Street Mall has enjoyed working with Mr Dhall and Mr Singh to date, and the centre is assisting in trying to relocate Quick Phone Repair to another site if possible.”
