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why tesco Wipe out the small shops and any other in the area?.

we can't find any 24 hours shop any more .

Wipe out the small shops and any other in the area. No choice then where to shop!!! Creating more jobs!!! Maybe so, but they are also costing jobs. They already have a big enough share of the market which makes for unfair competition.

There's a 24 hour costcutter at the end of East Dulwich road (near the Tesco!) Whilst i have concerns about Tesco dominance my immediate concern over the last few days has been the odd rotting smell that has been hanging around the car park of the East Dulwich rd Tesco.

There are a number of shops open 24 hours in the area. I am unsure what this post is trying to get at.


The reason there is no more is likely to be demand. I know some people work shifts, but I am guessing that 90%+ people in ED sleep (or at least try to sleep) between 11pm and 6am.


The central section of LL is free of a Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose or M&S. This is good for local businesses.

Those of us who were around twenty years ago were concerned about Sainsburys opening on Dog Kennel Hill, which would affect the businesses along Grove Vale and LL.


What happened after it opened? We saw the start of the more niche businesses opening on LL, while the shops on Grove Vale such as the DIY store and the convenience store on DKH are STILL open!

Bic Basher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Those of us who were around twenty years ago were

> concerned about Sainsburys opening on Dog Kennel

> Hill, which would affect the businesses along

> Grove Vale and LL.

>

> What happened after it opened? We saw the start

> of the more niche businesses opening on LL, while

> the shops on Grove Vale such as the DIY store and

> the convenience store on DKH are STILL open!


xxxxxxx


Actually, the opening of DKH Sainsbury's resulted in the closure of at least one greengrocer on Lordship Lane and at least one butcher, also on Lordship Lane.


I think there may have been another butcher on North Cross Road which also closed, and at least one small grocer in North Cross Road put their closure down to the opening of Sainsbury's.

As I remember at that time Lordship Lane was on its arse anyway. The DKH Sainsbos replaced the one that is now the cinema in Peckham, so no substantial additional competition.


I lived up that end at the time. It prompted the minimarket immediately to the north of ED Station bridge to tart itself up and make an effort. That is still there ....

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Bic Basher Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Those of us who were around twenty years ago

> were

> > concerned about Sainsburys opening on Dog

> Kennel

> > Hill, which would affect the businesses along

> > Grove Vale and LL.

> >

> > What happened after it opened? We saw the

> start

> > of the more niche businesses opening on LL,

> while

> > the shops on Grove Vale such as the DIY store

> and

> > the convenience store on DKH are STILL open!

>

> xxxxxxx

>

> Actually, the opening of DKH Sainsbury's resulted

> in the closure of at least one greengrocer on

> Lordship Lane and at least one butcher, also on

> Lordship Lane.

>

> I think there may have been another butcher on

> North Cross Road which also closed, and at least

> one small grocer in North Cross Road put their

> closure down to the opening of Sainsbury's.


And I imagine they were the shops that didn't adapt to competition? How does Chener Books manage to survive on LL despite charging RRP? It has a niche in the market.


As much as I haven't liked some elements of gentrification in ED, Sainsburys helped in some way to transform LL into a niche shopping area. Compare that to LL in 1990 and it's a massive improvement.

Bic Basher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------


> And I imagine they were the shops that didn't

> adapt to competition?


xxxxx


If you've had a greengrocer's or a butcher's shop in the area for goodness knows how many years, it's a bit difficult to see how you can adapt to competition when a massive supermarket opens just up the road.


If memory serves, Sainsbury's opened before the demand for organic veg and meat, which would have been about the only way they could have "competed".


Many people, including myself before I retired, were only too grateful to be able to do most of our shopping in one place, in one journey, by car.

I have great sympathy for the local trader but if we're all honest it is about cost and convenience. Who has time to go to all the shops down the high street when its easier to go to Sainsburys and do it all in one fell swoop? It's a sad situation to be in.


However, I am willing to pay a little more money at a proper butchers and occasionally a grocer. Are we all guilty of the demise of the local shops? Is it fair to blame the supermarkets?

I was here when Sainsburys opened and yes, it did have a bad impact on local traders. Butchers, greengrocers, bakers all closed. We've only got the niche shops because ED has become a prosperous area. If this hadn't happened, we'd be looking at a sea of charity and pound shops

Lynne

Yes, if the butchers had hung on for a few more years they could have done a William Rose, as it were. It didn't really help their case putting aggressive signs outside the shop saying things like, "Buy your meat here or we'll close."
No, its not fair to blame the supermarket. Most people prefer and only have the time to shop at a major supermarket. There is a reason why people choose them. I like to shop in small shops but I realise its somewhat of an indulgence.

Many of the small shops we have in ED manage to survive by offering something the supermarkets can't... in terms of quality, selection, service, expertise, niche interest, etc. That's why people go out of their way to use them. It's unrealistic to hope to attract customers just because you're a local high street retailer.


If you consider the daily routine of many families these days... drop off kids in nursery at 8am, go to work, pick up kids at 6pm, cook dinner, collapse... there has to be a really good reason to make time on the weekends to visit your local butcher, baker, etc.

Sainsburys didn't damage the local shops here, the area was in transition demographically at the time and certain shops would inevitably close at some point, and they did. Big supermarkets have a bigger impact in small towns and rural areas than they do in London and other major urban centres.


Louisa.

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