The colonisation of Askew Road by the high street supermarket chains continues apace with news that the old Sun Pub, den of large men with even larger gold sovereign rings, is to become a genteel branch of the Waitrose chain.
This follows the anticipated arrival of the Tesco Express which will take over the former Rat & Carrot pub, answering the challenge set down of course by Sainsburys who seem to be doing quite well down at the former garage site opposite Askew Road surgery.
But what's this?! A mole tells me that the Sun Pub is also to become home to a whole new floor of flats built by a property developer which has become the hallmark of our Council as they seek to pack ever more people into one of the most densley populated areas of London. Coming on top of the seven floors of flats set to bring thousands more into Shepherd's Bush above the Market it seems Askew Road is also to play its part in hosting whole new communities.
I understand there is some rumblings of disquiet among the good people of the Askew Road and that opposition Labour councillors are thinking of forcing the planning application for the Waitrose flats to come before a committee before the decision is made, so residents and councillors can have their say.
So interesting times ahead for Askew dwellers.
Lawks-a-mercy, how many small supermarkets can a single street support...?
ReplyDeleteCo-op. Nisa. Sainsburys. Tesco. Now, Waitrose.
I can't believe they'll all last. Of that list, I personally hope that Co-op, Sainburys and Waitrose are the winners.
As Sandi Toksvig once said, "I like Sainsbury's, it keeps the riff-raff out of Waitrose".
ReplyDeleteIt would surely be hard to replace the Sun Pub with anything worse...
ReplyDeleteWaitrose in the hood???.......bring on the oysters and Moet....
ReplyDeleteanother one??!
ReplyDeletehow much food do wee need on askew?
What we need is some nice little butiques, not another chain store..
I think those are very good news! When big chains open in a place as Askew road means that the regeneration is going well! I agree that we need small boutiques and nice stores, but to get that the area has to change and also the public. That doesn't mean that some people has to get out, but means that some new people has to come to make that uplift.
ReplyDeleteWhat boutique would open in a street with very low key people? That's why we need big names to invest in the area, and then the rest is done.
What I find insulting is the state of some buildings and stores, dirty windows, dirty outside, aerials in the fachades, funny smells... No comment of some individuals that walk around... I would rather prefer a cleaner, nicer area with nicer people and with big name foodstores that will add a lot of value to houses that a derelict street.
If you want boutiques you'll have to stop shopping on line and start supporting independant retailers. Massive corporate concerns such as Tesco's will always "cluster", their brands being the priority over the individual success of the stores. Some will succeed, some will fail it's neither here nor there. Askew Road does howevwer need to undergo this process if gentrification is what you seek.
ReplyDeleteThe big chains will keep people shopping in the area which will allow small shops to get more passing trade and 'boutiques' to open. What we need is to stop everyone trekking to Chiswick for their amble among nice shops. After 20 years just off Askew Road, and 29 in the greater Bush, all this news a very welcome to me.
ReplyDeleteWaitrose seem to be denying this - http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/03/30/askew-road-traders-tesco-will-be-final-nail-in-our-coffins-82029-28431681/
ReplyDeleteAnyone have any firm news?
If I don't have to go in that co-op again I will be happy
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteIts people like you with attitudes like yours that has killed communities in Shepherds Bush and across London. The gentrification of Askew road has gone far enough, in my opinion too far.
We dont need another supermarket or boutiques or pricey flats! What is insulting is your comments about the people of Askew road who incidently were probably born and raised there unlike you. So in summary if you dont like the area, piss off back to where you come from and stop pushing for change when the area does'nt need it.
What we have here are the aspiring middle classes who can't quite afford to live in Chiswick, and yet wish to turn Askew Road into the new south Chiswick!
ReplyDeleteProgress is not about the introducing Boutiques and ridiculous elitist chains of supermarkets into the area just to make you feel a little safer to step outside your 'urban' homes at night or to add 20k to the value of your home!
actually... Chiswick is South of the Askew Road so we would be North Chiswick and the rif raf would live in South Chiswick.
ReplyDeleteWaitrose would be great on the Askew Road, what a great way of smarting up the area. What a shame it's not going in that new hubbly bubbly place as the cross roads.