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Long-serving kiosk owner Tevfik Toros misses out on Rochester's new £26m station

Popular kiosk owner Tevfik Toros, who serves thousands of train passengers every week, has been forced to turn down an offer to move to Rochester’s new £26 million railway station.

In a heartfelt letter to customers Mr Toros and his wife Hutch, who have run the snack bar at the station for more than six years, explained why they cannot accept Southeastern’s offer.

About 900 people signed a petition in support of the couple after they were told they had to put in a fresh bid for the tenancy but the terms and conditions of the new lease are unsuitable.

Tevfik Toros has had his cafe at Rochester Train Station for six years
Tevfik Toros has had his cafe at Rochester Train Station for six years

They wrote: “We were offered a new lease for the kiosk and the new station after petitioning very hard with all your much appreciated support for us.

“Regrettably, this means that we will be unemployed for the unforeseeable future and will have to close our business. We are very upset that this has all come to an end especially over the Christmas period.

“We felt that all our customers have a right to know this.

“Once again, we would like to thank you all for your support and loyalty over the years.

“We are very sad to be closing our business and leaving behind all our friends and customers. We will miss you all very much and hope that we will stay in touch.”

Building work at the new Rochester station.
Building work at the new Rochester station.

The lease for the shop ends on Monday, December 7 and their last day of trading will be next Friday, December 4.

Mr Toros, 54, said: “We have had customers in tears. They are like family to us.

“I’m trained as a car mechanic but I don’t want to go back to that. I would miss the interaction with people. I really don’t know what we are going to do.”

Since opening the business, Mr Toros has been leaving his home in Eltham, south-east London at 4.30am to open up by 6am. Mrs Toros, 53, prepares fresh rolls and sandwiches six days a week.

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