Local shops unite in fight to fend off store giant

Published on Thursday 26 March 2009 00:27

WITH a range of small shops, including a fishmonger, butcher, post office and deli, Raeburn Place is rare in being a street where independent businesses have thrived for decades.

But now many shopkeepers in the Stockbridge area of Edinburgh say their livelihoods could be under threat as Sainsbury's, the UK's third-largest supermarket chain, looks set to take over prime retail space left vacant with the collapse of Woolworths last year.

Campaigners opposing the Sainsbury's move deny they are affluent "nimbys" – not in my backyard – who are anti-supermarket. Instead, they claim they are fighting to retain the character of a unique street in the "heart of an urban village". They also claim they want to show the supermarket chain the strength of feeling against having the store in their midst.

The campaign has attracted the support of Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrats' Treasury spokesman, who said he had seen his own area encroached on by supermarkets, food writers such as Joanna Blythman, MPs and MSPs. Shirley-Anne Somerville, an SNP MSP for the Lothians, plans to lodge a motion with the Scottish Parliament under the heading "protect our urban villages".

Iain McGill, of the Keep Stockbridge Local campaign, which is meeting tonight at 7:30 at the Edinburgh Academy senior school in Henderson Row, said: "The issue is not so much to do with supermarkets, but with the over-representation of supermarkets in a small area.

"I shop in supermarkets and also use local shops in Stockbridge. But this area already has a Sainsbury's less than a mile away off Queensferry Road, as well as a Waitrose and Tesco nearby."

Mr McGill said campaigners wanted the site used for the benefit of the community and to attract people to the area.

Proposals have ranged from a permanent farmers' market, to a community centre and bookshop. He said a survey of 50 local traders found the majority believed they were at risk from Sainbury's moving into the area, while 11 said it might put them out of business.

Tannis Dodd, the owner of Herbie's deli and a member of Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council, said: "My business is under threat because I can't compete with a supermarket. I know we're considered specialists, but if people are in a hurry and there's a supermarket handy they'll grab things like wine or flowers. People get lazy in their shopping standards if everything is all in one place.

"This campaign may sound like it is about one supermarket, but it is essentially about the whole area. This is a unique urban village where shoppers are given individual attention.

"Ideally, I would like to see the space put to good use which won't threaten our businesses and is in keeping with the area.

"Another kind of Woolworths back here, selling the sort of goods which were popular, has been one suggestion."

Nigel Bagshaw, the chairman of Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council, said: "We have been told by various people that Sainbury's negotiations for the site are quite well advanced.

"I wrote to Justin King, group chief executive of Sainsbury's, asking for clarification and got a reply saying, while the Woolworths portfolio had been reviewed, he was unable to comment on specific locations 'due to commercial sensitivity'.

"We have invited them to our meeting on Thursday, but haven't received a reply."