Hitendra Patel has some odd restrictions on the lease for his Costcutter at Havering in Essex. He can, for example, sell packs of four Mars bars but not single ones. Previously, no PayPoint was allowed, although that rule has now been relaxed.
He recently heard that one of the empty shops in his parade was about to open as a specialist African food and beauty shop. Their joint landlord (the council) will probably be allowing this store to sell Mars bars, too. How could he fight this?
In truth, fight would not be a good thing unless the other guys are spoiling for one.
Empty shops do nobody any favours. And specialist outlets attract customers from all around, not just the immediate neighbourhood.
Selling African goods is very specialist - and the fact that the storekeeper intends to sell beauty products is a real plus as it will not cut across Hitendra's trade at all.
I suggested that he bake a cake (metaphorically anyway) and go see if there is a way ahead for both of them, together.

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