Did You Know… that campaign to fight Sainsbury’s moving into Teddington High Street is still on-going?
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Despite Richmond Council unanimously rejecting the proposals that would see a high-volume small supermarket move into the Calligaris site near the Landmark Arts Centre, Sainsbury’s appealed the decision and won. In a quite farcical turn of events, the planning Inspector brought in to review the case ironically had quite an issue parking near the site to inspect it and took a long time to be able to cross the busy road! Traffic issues are one of the main concerns in this area as they are a problem even without the additional strain of a supermarket. The inspector also noted that plans for the proposed loading bay on the main road were only a car-wide, not lorry-wide.
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Traffic studies and comparisons with a Twickenham local supermarket were deemed unusuable in the appeal and the clause forbidding A1 food & drink selling on the plot was brushed aside in the decision which shocked campaigners and LBRUT. Richmond Council are being urged by campaigners to voice their disappointment over the ruling in strong terms and add their support to the campaign.
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Local residents opposed to the plans have been advised there is a chance that the decision could be overturned on legal grounds in court and are again funding the campaign and legal costs out of their own pockets. As well as affecting trade in local independent traders, adding to traffic & safety woes and the general effect a long-hours supermarket would have in the conservation zone most simply don’t want yet another supermarket in our small town. Having a good balance of chains and indies is key to a strong high street but many feel we have enough supermarkets – chains are starting to creep in to Teddington and we have to be careful they don’t take over and raise rents for existing traders!
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Without such a good mix of useful chains and fabulous independents, Teddington wouldn’t have made it to the Telegraph top ten best high streets list. Mary Portas recently referenced the Sainsbury’s fight in Teddington in an article about the onward march of Supermarkets and how the new battle ground is back on high streets – larger out-of-town units are seeing sluggish growth and even decline as shoppers do more frequent and smaller ‘en-route’ and ‘top-up’ shops nearer home. The big four are now installing Express and Local supermarkets back where our gaze is more intensely focused again – on our high streets. Sainsbury’s are also planning to move a Local store into the newly rebuild building at 210 Kingston Road with a 20 year lease if plans to fight them there fail.
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Sainsbury’s have always said they would never open a store where it’s not wanted – look at the list of who is objecting, does it look like the majority of Teddington want’s it!

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Mary Portas article: “Why don’t we like multiple grocers anymore? Ask Teddington.”
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Say No To Sainsbury’s (Teddington) sainsburysteddington.wordpress.com – check back here for info about fund-raising events happening soon!
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Fund-raising website bit.ly/saynottosainsburys – any donation no matter how small helps the cause, please help their cause and send a message to Sainsbury’s!
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