An anonymous leaflet campaign targeting a couple who have run a south London convenience shop for nearly two decades is being investigated as a suspected hate crime after sparking widespread outrage in the local community.
The leaflets contained a series of unfounded allegations about Pritesh and Himaliben Patel, who manage the Londis store on Upper Elmers End Road in Beckenham.
But residents have responded by rallying around the family, with customers visiting the shop in large numbers to offer support, flowers and messages of goodwill after the leaflets were delivered over the weekend.
Mr Patel said he initially feared the episode would force his family to close the business and leave the area. Instead, he said, the backing from the community had been "overwhelming".
Mr and Mrs Patel have managed the Londis
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Mr Patel described the man who distributed the leaflets as “very cowardly” and said he was sure the police were doing their part to track him down.
He said: “I’m feeling pretty secure now, and I think even if this kind of thing happens in the future, I know the community stood by me and so I’m not really worried about it anymore.
“You always have some sort of fear in the back of your head thinking, hang on, what’s gonna happen round the corner if someone’s holding the wrong end of the stick and they come with bad intentions.
“So you don’t know, but then you can’t be living in fear and thinking about that type of thing. You just take it on the chin and carry on to be honest.”
Beckenham and Penge MP Liam Conlon met with the Patels on Sunday evening to hear their concerns. He said the leaflet was a targeted racial attack, and has pushed the Met Police to investigate the incident as a hate crime.
Doorbell footage of the man delivering the leaflet to homes has been handed over to police, and the MP has encouraged any Eden Park residents with footage who haven’t sent it to the authorities to do so.
Mr Conlon has met with members of the community and said many Eden Park residents were unsettled and angry about what had happened.
Speaking about the Patels, Mr Conlon said: “They have a real pride in the fact that they’re part of the community and it’s just been really upsetting for them. But I would say that the response from people has been phenomenal. There’s been so much support.”
The three Bromley councillors representing Kelsey & Eden Park have also made a joint statement supporting the couple.
Cllrs Mark Amis, Michael Doble and Chris Phillips said: “We deplore hateful actions like this using baseless untruths which lack respect for our own neighbours and the wider Beckenham community.”
Cllr Phillips has also met with the Patels to express his sympathy and assure the family that the Eden Park community is supporting them.