By Lewis Goodall
Hell hath no fury like a community with a new proposed supermarket on its doorstep.
At a ‘People’s Question Time Event’ organised by Chuka Umunna MP, the audience (over eighty strong) at St Matthews Tenants Hall expressed deep reservations around the supermarket’s plans to take over the CarpetRight premises on 2 Tulse Hill.
Many attendees wanted to know why the Sainsbury’s representatives present felt the company needed yet greater presence in the borough. One lady, representing local traders, asked ‘How many Sainsbury’s do we need? How many Sainsbury’s have we got? We need decent shops in Brixton- where will we get carpet?’
“Where will we buy our Carpets?”
Though few could offer advice on alternative carpet retailers, it transpired that in taking over the 10,000sq ft retail unit, Sainsburys will add a 19th store to its Lambeth empire, including two Sainsburys locals both a mere half a mile from the planned development.
Tulse Hill councillors on the panel, Ruth Ling and Marcia Cameron, made clear that the council had few powers at its disposal to oppose the development as the building was not changing from retail use.
The company’s representatives argued that the new, much larger store would create new jobs and a much greater range of produce at lower prices.
For many people, these benefits weren’t enough. Local traders, many of whom could not attend for working throughout the evening- felt the new superstore would destroy their family businesses.
Others expressed concerns as to how any increase in traffic alongside already busy roads like Brixton Water Lane would affect local people and the nearby Jubilee Primary school. Ready access to more cheap alcohol, in an area with plenty already available also was a major concern.
Sainsbury’s countered that previous experience would indicate that local firms would benefit as a result of increased footfall and that they would create new jobs in the area. They did not, however, commit to paying the London Living Wage.
Not all attendees were against. Some residents welcomed the increased choice that the new Sainsbury’s would bring, arguing that it would help working people carry out their weekly shop.
Majority opinion in the room, however, was largely hostile, with Chuka Umunna expressing concern that the country was ‘sleepwalking into a monoculture on our high streets.’
Monday 18th February is the deadline for those who wish to submit representations to Lambeth Council. The planned opening is in July.
I agree the existing Tesco store on Acre Lane is awful, but surely the solution is more diversity in the high street, not another supermarket that even the Sainsbury’s representative at the meeting admitted was pretty much the same as every other. After all, if you want expensive factory produced bread there’s any number of shops on Brixton Hill that will sell it to you. If you want a proper baker you need to go to Herne Hill or Streatham Hill. I really don’t see how having an awful Sainsburys in Brixton will help counteract the awful Tesco
“Ready access to more cheap alcohol, in an area with plenty already available also was a major concern”. If there’s already “plenty available” how can it be a major concern? With three or four 24-hour off-licences on Brixton Hill I hardly think a Sainsbury’s is going to be a tipping point for public disorder.
As Manda’s post proves, objecting to the alcohol license is merely a tactic for those with an ideological axe to grind against supermarkets, not a genuine concern. Personally I welcome it: fewer car journeys, less bulk buying, less wastage of food.
Totally agree, just look at the affect of the pointless squating of the George 1V on Brixton Hill, now we have no pub and no convenience store there either. Can you believe it, one to the objections being forwarded against the Tesco Metro proposal there was increased traffic on Brixton Hill! And the local MP fell for that one also coming out in support of the protest, but don’t get me started on the mindset of politicians. These actions do nothing but irritate and stymie the local econonmy and inconvenience the residents, while leaving a wasteland for vandalism and other dodgy activities to prevail. Perhaps that is the intention as Manda states wisely, plus a return to the dominance of fried battery, salty, fatty, chicken shops, junk shops, betting shops, pound shops, and ‘out of date’ shops.
Firstly, I’m not a fan of the numerous Sainsbury and Tesco ‘locals’ that seem to be taking over…
But I’m all for a bigger supermarket in Brixton – and suspect I’d end using Brixton Market far more when it opens. Currently I’ll go to Sainsbury’s in Clapham Common or Asda in Clapham Junction, rather than use the Acre Lane Tesco…and buy all my fruit and veg in one place. This would make it far easier to shop for everything locally.
At the same time, we should go out of our way to support the smaller corner stores to ensure they continue to survive and are there when we need them.
I welcome this develepment if will mean a large store, that is not just another Local stoe. Though that is a selfish approach because I have a two close Local stores to me – other residetns living closer to the site may welcome a Local store near to them. A large store will mean that there will be a decent alternative to the Tesco in Brixton, which I for find a very poor alternative to the Sainbury’s in Balham which I try to use now, but have to travel by train to get to. Something closer to me is great, choice, convenience, more footfall for the area to help ( some) of the other businesses. The thing with London is we do not – in the large part – have cars, so we need to have services as close to our homes as possible. There may be some traders who will protest to this, such as small shops and market traders, butt the big picture is the huge number of residents that will benefit from this. There is still, and will continue to be a prevailing market in Brixton for the specialized, cheap, niche etc goods that the market sells, this defines Brixton’s identity and that will not be changing anytime soon. But there s also a need for more choice in the supermarket end and if this is available, then I strongly vote in ots favour.
Alternatively Manda you could find something important to worry about
Sainsbury may have a large presence in Lambeth, but the only ‘big four’ supermarket in Brixton is a Tesco, in Acre Lane.
That is why a lot of residents – almost certainly a majority – welcome this development.
It will create jobs, smarten up a struggling parade, provide a walkable large store for thousands, probably lead to a proper pedestrian crossing on Water Lane and make the surrounding area less a haven for muggers.
The parking issue needs to be solved but, otherwise, the big loser will be Tesco which has an effective monopoly in Brixton
Wow, what a biased article! “Sainsburys will add a 19th store to its Lambeth empire” that is such loaded language!
Surely we should be happy at anyone bringing 100 jobs into the area in these hard times!
And as for the desperate need for everyone in Brixton have easy access to a carpet retailer at all times, there is an independent carpet store underneath the arches below Brixton station.
Just to be clear, this is not a proposal – Sainsburys are actually on course to open on this site and have the OK in terms of planning, but there are other ways that we can oppose, dissuade or impose conditions on the move.
The first is to make a representation against the application for a licence to sell alcohol. I believe that, if this were to be refused, there is no way Sainsburys would think of opening a store there. What, a supermarket with no alcohol? I can’t think of one. To make a representation, go to:
http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/Business/LicencesStreetTrading/AlcoholEntertainmentLateNightRefreshment/AdviceForResidentsAndLocalBusinesses.htm#representations.
Secondly, i spoke to Sainsburys after the meeting and they said that this 10,000 sq ft size is a ‘new area’ for Sainsburys, in between a Sainsburys Local and a large supermarket. She added that they have no particular need for the 24 parking spaces, it’s just that they are already there. The parking spaces are on Rush Common and we have the Rush Common Act as leverage. If they dont need them, why don’t we get them to convert the spaces back into Rush Common land, with green landscaping and planting?
I believe we should lobby our councillors about that – Marcia Cameron seemed amenable to the idea of invoking the Rush Common Act.
By the way, i counted 3 in favour out of 80 at the meeting..
I’m all for it. I drive to Sainsburys or get Ocado to deliver because I’m not going to go to Tescos on Acre Lane which is awful yet the only superstore for a mile. Local shops don’t offer value, convenience or choice and it’s blackmail to suggest they ‘ support the local economy’, I spend a LOT MORE each week in Brixton going to bars, high street shops and restaurants. Groceries and booze are a commodity and I look forward with relish to see the demise of seedy corner shops that sell booze and fags in the early hours of the morning.