Pretty much every Londoner knows about the two beigel shops in Brick Lane and everyone has a favourite – you're either team yellow or team white and there is no middle ground. However, it looks like this infamous rivalry might have finally come to an end, with Beigel Shop (the yellow one) closing suddenly under mysterious circumstances.
In news that has made national headlines, a repossession order was seen on the shop's door on 13th February, with the shop being closed to hungry customers. However, the plot thickens – later in the day the notice had been removed and replaced with a sign saying the shop was temporarily closed due to an electrical fault. The same message was shared on the shop's Instagram account, claiming that the shop will be back soon. This might have temporarily reassured some customers but the shop's website has since been taken down, attempts by the media to contact the shop owners have been unsuccessful, and an owner of the building confirmed to The Guardian that he had instructed his solicitors to repossess the shop.
Beigel Shop opened back in 1855 and has been selling beigels 24/7 since then. The current owners took over the business in 1987. It remains to be seen whether this long-standing part of the food scene (and its rivalry with its neighbour) is now gone for good, but we'll keep you updated with any developments.
