Elephant and Castle shopping centre will now stay open until the last week of September as construction is put on hold due to Coronavirus.
Landlord Delancey said building Castle Square, a temporary site for traders, had been pushed back by several weeks due to the crisis.
It has also committed to keeping essential services such as pharmacies and supermarkets open as long as possible during the pandemic. Independent traders’ service charges and rents have been waived since March.
The move will be welcomed by traders who now, on top of worries about their long-term future in Elephant and Castle, have to contend with the immediate financial ramifications of the lockdown.
The News understands around 28 traders have so far had applications to move into Castle Square rejected, with at least 36 traders successful. This potentially leaves around 60 businesses, including market traders, still uncertain.
Southwark Council’s Johnson Situ, the cabinet member for planning, said pushing the closure date back to September 24 is a ‘sensible decision’ for the community, while a spokesperson from Delancey told the News: “This revised closure date allows time for the completion of the temporary retail structure at Castle Square and the fit out of the units by our traders.
“Keeping our traders informed has always been a key priority for us, and all have been notified of the revised closure date.”