New Somerfield opening

[Mick Mac]

Keef Wrote:

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> I am a big Iceland fan. Some of their stuff is

> rubbish, but other stuff isn't, and for those on a

> real budget (like my family as I was growing up)

> it's a life saver. Now, I'm as big a fan of Val's

> as the next person, and they have been there

> forever and will be fine. I generally think it's a

> great thing for a supermarket to open up there. I

> am however surprised to hear it's a Somerfield.

Well said Keef - I live up this end of LL and I think it would be good to have a decent size store - that would give us more choice. We love Vals store, its great but I'd like not to have to get in the car and go down to Somerfield/Sainsbury to do a mini supermarket shop.

[lizzie]

I live near where the proposed Somerfield is going to be and personally I'm pleased. I only ever go into the other food shops up there to buy a paper or a pint of milk, do my big shop at Sainsburys and then buy day to day stuff at Somerfield. I don't have any complaints about the food there. And any development to improve the stretch by the library is welcome. Whilst the rest of Lordship Lane basks in organic trendiness, our little stretch seems to have been forgotten.

[Lawyerlady]

As I understand it, no planning permission is required by Somerfield since the approved use for these premises is as a shop.

This takes no account of the increased vehicle generation which would inevitably ensue, and which would have a detrimental effect on parking in the vicinity.

I have written to Southwark Councillors Noblet (Regeneration) and Hook (Environment) about this.

[Louisa]

I have tried to get information from both Somerfield and The Co-operative on this little nugget of a new store and they simply told me that "no information has yet been made public about any such moves for a relocation of the current store on Lordship Lane", keyword here being "relocation", I make the assumption from this that although they cannot confirm anything, the store is likely to be moving as opposed to having an additional Somerfield/Co-operative down LL. I contacted Waitrose on saturday and they told me that "no plans were currently afoot for a new store in East Dulwich, but a new store will be opening in the summer at Croydon". M&S, who I spoke with earlier today told me to refer to the website for updates on any new store openings. So a very confused Louisa emerged from this digging for info.

Louisa.

[Sue]

That's bad news if it's moving - despite all its shortcomings I find the LL Somerfield very convenient, and I was delighted when I thought it was soon to become a Co-op.

Edited to say: Thanks for going to the trouble of finding all that out, Louisa

[Cassius]

I was told that a Waitrose was opening in East Croydon right by the railway station replacing a Scummerfield - if East Dulwich is not right for Waitrose then goodness knows how it will go down in Croydon.

[SimonM]

But there's a "history" of Waitrose in Croydon around there - used to be/may still be a small one down the road almost opposite the side of the Fairfield Halls. It's a much busier area than ED.

[Cassius]

That's not FAIR - they may have TWO and we don't even have ONE......................

[SimonM]

Bromley has/had two for years too! Face it - this is just a deprived area...:))

[James]

One of the ones in Bromley is on Burnt Ash Lane - hardly a posh area!

[Louisa]

Bromley has one because Bromley has EVERYTHING, unlike round here!!!

Louisa.

[James]

Yes but Bromley is also full of revolting perma-tanned nouveaux riche Essex types who live in pebble-dashed 30s semis (with the garden concreted over for the BMW 4x4) and dream of pulling a footballer or a soap star in Jazzmins or Delano's.

So we are lucky really.

[Cassius]

I've never been to Bromley!

[James]

Don't worry, you're not missing anything

[SimonM]

Bromley has both a Patisserie Valerie & a Hotel du Chocolat though....oh and a Belgian restaurant!

edited...and an Ann Summers!

[Louisa]

SimonM Wrote:

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>

> edited...and an Ann Summers!

SimonM, you took the words right out of my mouth!

Louisa.

[Freddy1929]

The latest scuttlebutt re: the old store at the Plough is that it will become a 99p Store. The owners shrewdly anticipating that the nouvaux poor of East Dulwich can travel incognito for their downgraded goods. Ofcourse they will use their waitrose bags for life which they picked up in Bromley before the credit crunch.

[James]

Ha ha

[Natalious13]

Lastest Somerfield/Co-op update... could be another 2 years before we see a Co-op on Lordship Lane. From The Independent this morning:

"Peter Marks, the chief executive of The Co-operative Group, has revealed that he plans to close Somerfield's head office in Bristol next year, putting hundreds of jobs at risk, and that it will take "at least two years" to convert more than 650 Somerfield stores to its own brand.

Speaking for the first time about his plans after the Co-operative's ?1.57bn acquisition of Somerfield is completed next month, Mr Marks said that the UK's largest mutual retailer would run Somerfield as a "separate entity" for about 18 months while the integration of the two local grocery chains takes place."

[Sue]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

:-S

[flowermum]

Can I be one of the few people to stick up for Somerfield? I find their food to be fresh and their selection of fresh, frozen and cupboard ingredients to be pretty good for a shop that size. They have good offers on meat and fish. Being able to pop to a local shop more regularly means I waste less food then when I used to do one big weekly shop. I wouldn't mind another supermarket on LL to make up for the fact that Sainsburys is awful and I hate going there, but I'd prefer it to be a different shop to the one just a mile down the road: choice is a good thing. It is a shame for the veggie shop by the plough but their veg are so good that hopefully people will still shop there.

[louisiana]

Louisa Wrote:

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> Bromley has one because Bromley has EVERYTHING,

> unlike round here!!!

>

> Louisa.

Go on Louise. Move to Bromley. I dare you.

[Louisa]

louisiana I am very tempted I assure you, the Bromley borough has considerably lower crime rates overall comparable to Southwark (worst or joint worst of the London borough's?).

Louisa.

[louisiana]

Soooo. Why don't you move there?

What's stopping you?

Get it off your chest. You're between friends: just let it all out...

[Louisa]

Despite what I often say on this forum, and it is between you and I louisiana, I am actually quite fond of ED and Peckham, I just get frustrated with the way the area has changed sometimes, but this is only because I care deeply for the place and always will do, wherever I live or indeed choose to shop!

Louisa.