The People’s Supermarket ‘optimistic’ as Homerton consultation ends

Photograph: © Ash Sakula Architects

Local residents gathered at Chat’s Palace yesterday evening (Tuesday 25 October 2011) to hear the results of the public consultation on the proposed People’s Supermarket for Homerton.

The group plans to open their second, member-owned, co-operative food store on Sedgwick Street, subject to council approval and funding.

The report drew on data gathered by surveys during the two-month-long, council-funded consultation with the public.

A key theme raised in the report was the community. “People love Homerton,” explained Jessica Green, spokesperson for the group at the meeting, whilst referring to the survey’s results.

With designated space for social enterprises and a café to attract locals to the community space “the shop can be the missing link in the cohesion of the people in the area,” she said.

Yet there are concerns for existing convenience stores in the area, as the shop, in its planned location, would serve over 4000 homes as the closest food store.

However, Green insisted that the People’s Supermarket has consulted local traders, albeit “randomly”. She also said their shop in Holborn has increased trade for other stores in Lamb’s Conduit Street.

At the meeting, concerns were also raised about the financial viability of the proposed store. Included in the report was a summary of a commercial survey undertaken by the member-owned retail group Nisa. The summary highlights the financial vulnerability of the project and the challenges it would face in attracting consumer, stating: “This research shows that in reality, the unit under consideration isn’t a supermarket site, or a good convenience store.”

Nevertheless The People’s Supermarket remains optimistic. Similar challenges were faced and met at the Holborn site and triumph over adversity is something the group believes can be replicated in Homerton.

The project still requires a minimum of £250,000 of funding and around 300 volunteers before they can open their doors. However, Jessica is “hopelessly optimistic”. In response to questions from residents about when the shop and community space would open, she set April 2012 as a “reasonable timescale”.