Tesco plans 'will kill off business' (From Times Series)

Tesco plans in Southgate, Brunswick Park ward, 'will kill off business'

2:42pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in News By Chris Hewett

Plans for a new Tesco store in a small Southgate shopping parade “will kill off business” and “leave families with no income” according to traders in the area.

The supermarket giant has applied for planning permission to erect a new illuminated shop sign, install an ATM and build a new shop front at the former bathroom store in Hampden Square.

Among some already empty shop units, in the Brunswick Park ward square, sit locally-owned mini marts, newsagents, takeaways and coffee shops.

Kundan Patel, 58, has run News Corner with her husband Rasmi there for the past 14 years.

She said: “It would kill us off. I’m very worried as the rumour is going around and we just could not compete with the business rates being so high – they’re too big.

“They should not get permission to open up. It is not in the council’s interest to have the other shops shut down anyway – they will not get any rents.”

Plans were submitted to Barnet Council in August, though no date on a decision has yet been made.

It is thought the chain is not required to request planning permission for a change of use to the shop as it was formerly a Co-operative supermarket.

George Costa, owner of the Sea Fresh fish and chips shop in the square said: “It will kill off the small man. My lunch trade will be damaged and I’ll probably go down too. You don’t need the big boys in a small shopping parade like this.”

Mano Haran has been the post master at the squares Post Office for nine years and is a franchisee of the attached Londis shop.

He added: “It is not just the shop keepers and the shoppers. It is the families that run them that will be affected.

“We’re getting by at the moment but it is a struggle and this would be the final nail in the coffin.”