Worries over what Tesco has in store (From News Shopper)

Worries over what Tesco has in store

9:05am Wednesday 31st October 2007

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SHOP owners and residents fear a supermarket giant may be planning to move into the neighbourhood.

Tesco has bought a site in Homesdale Road, Bromley, currently occupied by DIY retailer Focus.

Focus has confirmed the store, one of its 41 outlets sold nationally for £68m, has been bought by the largest supermarket chain in the country.

The DIY retailer has confirmed its store will close but could not say when this will happen.

According to the owner of the nearby Hollywood Cafe on Homesdale Road, rumours are widespread about Tesco moving into the area.

Ebru Diler, 29, said: "I know about it because the staff from Focus come for lunch here.

"The staff are quite upset because they only just got to hear about it.

"I first heard about it about six months ago but I didn't believe it until the Focus lot told me about it.

"It came as a shock because I hadn't thought of a Tesco around here."

She added: "It will be chaos because of the congestion and because there are already so many roadworks and so much traffic going to the nearby Waldo Road tip.

"It will affect residential people much more than us but my customers complain already because there are no parking spaces."

Small shop owners in Homesdale Road fear business will suffer if a supermarket opens in the residential area they currently serve.

Keystore Convenience Express owner Alfred Selvarajah, 45, said: "I have just extended this shop and Tesco is going to kill the business.

"We don't need a supermarket here, because there are others nearby and this is a residential area."

Mr Selvaraja, who has been running the shop for nine years, added: "I spoke to the council about it and they said there are no planning applications.

"But if Tesco uses the same building, they don't need planning permission because it is already a retail outlet."

Carmel Carmichael, a resident of nearby Page Heath Lane, said: "Focus trucks come up this road once a week but a Tesco might have delivery trucks coming once or twice a day.

"It is dangerous. People use the end of this road to cross the road to go to the school and the park."

The 35-year-old added: "It will be good in a way because it will be convenient, but bad because of the lorries bringing fresh produce."

A Bromley Council spokesman said: "We have heard the rumours about the new Tesco.

"Tesco hasn't approached the council formally about planning permission for this site.

"But Tesco wouldn't require change of use permission because the site is already used for retail.

"Planning permission for signs and any alterations would be open to consultation in the usual way."

A Tesco spokesman said: "We are unable to comment on rumours about whether or not we are opening a new store.

"We are always looking at sites for stores and we have a policy of consulting the public first before we make any planning application.

"We will be consulting the public before we go ahead and open any stores in Bromley."

• What do you think about the possibility of a Tesco store in Bromley? And what do you think about the Competition Commission's call for more supermarkets to be built?

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