Poundstretcher in old co-op site

[prince]

Hi

I hear it is going to be a Jacks, the discount Tesco store.

[syenhamboy]

Can you quote your source please or hearsay?

Hi

I hear it is going to be a Jacks, the discount Tesco store.

[syenhamboy]

That'll raise the house prices NOT. Waitrose or M&S foods please.

I am still hoping for Iceland.... Not just because of the weather either!

[JMLF]

If we are talking supermarkets I’d welcome any of the suggestions/rumours really. Iceland aren’t just the frozen products of old and have not only improved ranges of fresh/non frozen food but are extremely ecologically minded with promises to reduce/rid palm oil, plastic packaging etc and recently introduced a bottle return scheme for money towards your shop. M and S and Waitrose would definitely offer something different as would a “Jacks”.

Obviously different people want certain things for different reasons (see above as one example, whether you agree with it or not) but as I’ve said previously with vacant shops I’d welcome anything offering something different (so preferably not an Aldi - similar to Lidl - or Sainsbury/Tesco - locals nearby).

Ps: At a meeting I attended a good 6 months ago with the council I was told Iceland were the prime people looking at the site but I can only assume that’s gone by the wayside.

Pps: Two of my New Years resolutions are to spend more money on the high street in independent shops and buying less stuff in plastic. The two things have resulted in me buying delicious food from Billings and Fresh and Fruity and probably eating more appropriate sized portions (!) to offset the slightly increased cost of various bits and pieces. Win win win

[simon]

Hey sydenhamboy, why do you think a raise in house prices is a good thing?

[syenhamboy]

house prices go up as an area improves.

[Sydering]

That'll raise the house prices NOT. Waitrose or M&S foods please.

I am still hoping for Iceland.... Not just because of the weather either!

Yeah I'd take an M&S.

[prince]

Can you quote your source please or hearsay?

Hi

I hear it is going to be a Jacks, the discount Tesco store.

An employee of Tesco Metro in Sydenham and another source which I cannot divulge.

[TredownMan]

I’d be fine with that.

M&S is in retreat on all fronts given the crisis in retail so waiting until it comes along I don’t think is realistic – it will be a long wait. Also, I’m not sure that distinguishing between middle class supermarkets people like, and ones they don’t, is really a goer under planning policy.

The alternative is to develop the whole site into housing with smaller retail underneath but that may be divisive.

[stuart]

M&S is in retreat on all fronts given the crisis in retail so waiting until it comes along I don’t think is realistic

M&S and Waitrose are in trouble precisely because the middle class are deserting them in favour of Aldi & Lidl. Go to Coulsdon on a weekend. The centre is jammed with 4x4s waiting to get into the new Aldi car-park. Meanwhile 100 yards away their Waitrose looks lonely and deserted.

'Improvement' is when you have a thriving high street whether posh stores or market stalls. Sydenham has neither. Its more fun walking along Whitechapel's 'souk'. It's a tad grubby but, as they say, oozes vibrancy, makes money and gives good value. As well as that it has a well resourced professionally run library. It's a success.

We want stores people will use not that will make homes more unaffordable, surely?

Stuart

[parker]

Prince, have you heard any more on this becoming a Jack’s?

[prince]

Hello Parker.

Two different Tesco employees said it was jacks however at the Sydenham society agm they said it wasn’t.

Apparently they say it will be a national discount retailer. Poundland and wilko are not opening new sites. I would hazard a guess that it might be B&M or Homebargains. Oh joy!

[JMLF]

Aggggges ago it was reported to be an Iceland. Then as you said Chris Best politely replied to a tweet I sent saying a “discount retailer” should be signed off etc within 6 weeks. At the meeting I went to last year Chris Best wouldn’t say which retailer although someone else said it was Iceland - not sure if similar idea of the councillors not wanted to ruin a deal by saying who it is or by giving competitors reason to look at the site (with whoever it is wanting to secure without others getting involved). No idea really but considering there is a Poundland and Iceland in Penge, Lidl in Syd (and Penge), Aldi to open at Bell Green and it is a pretty big site I really can’t think what “discount retailer” it might be as Jacks would have been my best guess (and probably preference out of that lot).

[maestro]

Lights now been left on for two years, LBC state that nobody has made any planning application to do anything with the property.

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/1784 ... -years-39/

[zara]

i don’t shop much in Sydenham anymore although very near high street. I go to penge where there are lots of shops in a small area . Shame the co op cannot be something different.