A restaurateur claims his business has lost more than £30,000 in custom after “excessively large and ugly hoarding” was installed outside the neighbouring shopfront in November 2017.

Islington Gazette: A hoarding is 'obscuring the outside seating area' at Tenshi resaurant in Upper Street. Picture: Joe MossmanA hoarding is 'obscuring the outside seating area' at Tenshi resaurant in Upper Street. Picture: Joe Mossman (Image: Archant)

Joe Mossman has been running Tenshi restaurant in Upper Street since 2010, but says the business has been losing cash since the hoarding, or large sign, was erected outside the neighbouring shop.

Joe says the sign obscures his outside seating area and claims it makes his business a less desirable dining location.

“I am at my wits’ end trying to stem the damage to our sales,” Joe told the Gazette. “And this situation is actually threatening the continuing survival of Tenshi.”

He added: “I am very proud of the business, which has become a local favourite of many people, and I really don’t want to be the next Upper Street restaurant casualty.”

The neighbouring premises, 62/63 Upper Street, has been purchased by a chain called Chick’n’Sours, which serves chicken and cocktails.

But Joe complains renovation work at the 62/63 site has only just commenced, despite the hoarding having already been up for eight months.

He said: “Our outdoor seating area has been rendered very unappealing due to the continuing encroachment of this large, dirty and unlit structure.

“Those customers who have braved sitting outside have reported frequent thefts and incidents of antisocial behaviour and harassment.”

He also claims the hoarding, which is made of unpainted plywood, has no lighting or safety markings and says it blocks the Upper Street footway.

Joe added: “It’s a real eyesore, remarkably ugly and completely out of keeping with the Islington Green environment.”

A Chick’n’Sours spokesperson said: “The hoarding was erected in response to the site being broken into by squatters. Obviously, we would never want to cause anyone any harm to a local business and as soon as we were made aware that this was causing an issue our builders dealt with it and swiftly altered the hoarding. It’s going to be coming down next week and we’re really excited to finally getting our doors open at the end of September, and integrating ourselves into the Islington community.”