A new installation called House of Fakes has launched at 50 New Bond Street in Mayfair, London W1. Created by ASTOP, which describes itself as an ethical empty business company, it turns a vacant retail unit into a walk-through exhibit on two issues: business rates avoidance and counterfeit goods.

Who is behind it

ASTOP is the company behind the End Rates Avoidance (ERA) campaign. It has made the space in collaboration with the charity Datio. London TV reports that ASTOP worked with the landlord to donate the unit to Datio for charitable use on a short-term basis. ASTOP presents this as an example of the ethical rates mitigation that ERA wants adopted nationwide, rather than leaving a unit empty or handing it to avoidance scheme operators.

Two sides of the space

One side of the installation recreates tactics used to exploit the business rates system. These include:

  • "Snail farms" set up in empty shops to exploit agricultural exemptions
  • "Box shifting", where token items are moved in and out to trigger reliefs
  • Fake or temporary "places of worship" used to claim exemptions

ASTOP says loopholes in England's business rates system cost councils an estimated £300 million each year. It says that money could otherwise fund essential local services, such as 2,000 hospital beds or 12 schools per year.

The other side shows how vacant properties can be used ethically to support charities, community groups and social causes, while still helping landlords manage costs. It points to examples from food banks to community services.

The counterfeit goods window

The front window and retail displays extend the "fakes" theme to counterfeit products. The installation highlights:

  • Fake perfumes containing unsafe and unhygienic substances
  • Phone chargers, accessories and vapes that pose serious fire and explosion risks
  • Cheap clothing made from highly flammable materials that can melt into skin

It also covers worker exploitation in sweatshops, links to organised crime and risks to consumers. Authentic goods are shown alongside to underline the benefits of legitimate production.

The wider campaign

House of Fakes follows ASTOP's Ban Box Shifting campaign, which it says helped drive legislative change with support from over 100 MPs and councillors. ASTOP is now pushing a six-point manifesto to close remaining loopholes and promote ethical alternatives.

Shaylesh Patel, Founder and CEO of ASTOP, said: "Bond Street is one of the most valuable retail locations in the country, yet even here Westminster council and we can see how the system is being manipulated in ways that deliver no real benefit to communities." He added: "This installation demonstrates that change is not only necessary, but entirely achievable."

Photo: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.