Quiggins

The business's first location was on Renshaw Street which opened in 1986, where it adopted the name of the long established architectural ironmongers which had formerly owned the premises and whose sign still adorned the shop front.

With parts of the building rented out to other antique traders, it later diversified into providing space for specialist and alternative stores where many of the stall holders were local artists and craftsmen.

Many local residents and businesses lodged objections to these proposals and a well-publicised four-year public relations and political campaign was launched against the plans spearheaded by Peter Tierney, (co-owner & founder) and his supporters.

These included a protest march, a petition with over a hundred and fifty thousand signatures presented to Parliament, letter writing and media events, etc.

Following the hearing, the Planning Inspector, Derek Mumford upheld the proposed CPOs and on 18 May 2004, the development scheme was approved by John Prescott, the British Deputy Prime Minister.

However last-ditch negotiations between the partners and with the developer, Grosvenor Estates in June 2006, apparently led to a hostile take over by the younger brother which contributed to collapsing the Quiggins' challenge.