The No Clapton Tesco Campaign

The store on Lower Clapton Road opened today (Friday 11th Feb), but this article over on the Hackney Citizen highlights information from the freeholders (Family Mosaic) that legal negotiations have not yet been completed for the store to commence trading.

Tesco Express opened today on Lower Clapton Road E5. Photo: Emily Webber

Whilst Tesco Express on Lower Clapton Road opened its doors for the first time today, residents of Alva and Shire Courts living above the shop have been told by their housing association, Family Mosaic, that it is seeking legal advice. The Citizen has asked Family Mosaic and Tesco for comment.

In May last year, local campaigners staged a demonstration in opposition to plans to open the new store which, they argued, would cause disruption for those who live nearby and harm local shops. They also collected nearly 500 signatures on a petition to the council to reject the plans.

A letter from Family Mosaic on the residents' noticeboard inside the block at 144-146 Lower Clapton Road

Update in the Hackney Citizen 2pm Tuesday 15 February 2011:

A spokesperson for Tesco said: “As a company we would not comment on negotiations and agreements with landowners or agents as these are confidential. All the planning consents and legal paperwork is completed. The store is extremely popular and the feedback we have received from customers has been excellent with people queuing to get in on opening morning.  We look forward to becoming part of the community and serving local people.”

A spokesperson for Family Mosaic said: “I can confirm the paperwork is now complete. Tesco did commence trading before we expected them to and we are now working with Tesco and, most importantly, our residents to ensure they don’t experience any further inconvenience.”

From the Hackney Citizen

Update on Tuesday 15 February:

Letter sent by Family Mosaic to residents:

Further to our letter dated 10th February, we are writing to you to inform you that we are delighted to have reached agreement for Tesco to open a new “Express” store on the ground floor.

Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, and before the legal documentation was completed, Tesco actually opened last Friday, 11th February. We are aware that this has caused some update and annoyance to you all – especially as we had not written to you to notify you of the expected opening date. We sincerely apologise to you to this and for any upset caused. We were proposing to notify you of the opening of the store once we knew what the opening date would be after completion of legal documentation relating to the store.

In recognition of the premature opening and upset caused, we have obtained a contribution of £2,000  as a gesture and in recognition that the early opening has caused distress. We would like to spend the contribution for the benefits of all residents in this development.

“We have played Tescopoly and it looks like we’ve thrown some winning dice today with the deferment of any planning committee decision on their using mega ton lorries to deliver into the street of Lower Clapton Road.”

‘There are a number of other outstanding issues we want to see answered including their proposal to park their lorries in a conservation area without bothering with any consultation of the Conservation area committee or the council’s conservation officer.

‘There has been no consultation with us as elected representatives or local residents by this supermarket giant which plans to walk into the area with an Express shop when it is planning to build a gigantic ‘Tesco Extra’ minutes away in Morning Lane. Aren’t they taking enough of our hard-earned cash already?

‘We are still saying no to this move and we urge all local residents to do the same. Take a look at the blog which has been set up www.noclaptontesco.org Contact Ian Rathbone on 07890 654 068 for more info.

‘We are all for variety in the local economy but the community’s kind, working with the community, helping to create community, not substituting for it with the one state Tescopoly variety.

‘As we have said before – Please, Tesco – do us and yourself a favour. You make £3bn profit every year already – go somewhere else. Haven’t you got enough stores already in Hackney?’

Cllrs Ian Rathbone, Linda Kelly, Deniz Oguzkanli (Leabridge Ward)

7 October 2010

Hackney and Tower Hamlet’s friends of the Earth came forward to show their support in a statement to the Hackney citizen as below:

Update: 3.50pm Thursday 27 May 2010

In a statement issued today, local environmental campaign group, Hackney and Tower Hamlets Friends of the Earth said,”Hackney and Tower Hamlets Friends of the Earth fully supports the No Clapton Tesco campaign.

“Clapton has many thriving, independent shops that provide much needed jobs to locals. They also sell healthy, low cost fresh food and bring a great sense of community for local people.

“It is well researched that when Tesco moves in to a small area, fresh food, shops, jobs and money go. Supermarkets siphon money away from local economies and towards shareholders and distant corporations. £1 spent in a local shop selling local produce puts twice as much money back into the local economy as £1 spent in a supermarket.

“The community in Clapton is also absolutely right to worry about the impacts of a huge delivery lorry obstructing an important bus and cycle route every day and adding to pollution in the area. We have written with our objections to the planning officer and hope that Hackney Council will reject Tesco’s application and see that it will not bring benefits to the area.”

Clapton locals were out in force this Sunday (23rd May) along with Cllr Deniz Oguzkanli to show their disapproval of Tesco Express moving in to 144-146  Lower Clapton Road. Continue reading ‘No To Tesco Protest’ »

Hackney  Gazette are coming to the site at 144-146 Lower Clapton Road  (map) on Sunday (23rd) at 5pm to take a photo, we really need your help to get a big group of people along to show Tesco that there is a lot of people  in the local community against them.

Please let us know if you can make it in the comments below or on the contact page.

Thanks