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Published: 4 February 2010
by JOSIE HINTON

FURIOUS residents and traders have vowed to boy­cott a new Tesco Express store which is set to open in Fortune Green.
Following months of specu­lation, the supermarket giant has finally confirmed it will open its latest branch in the Sager development, less than five minutes’ walk from its store in West End Lane.
At a packed meeting on Monday night, residents and traders expressed their anger and disbelief that another store will be located so close to the West Hampstead branch. To their horror, Tesco has applied for a licence to sell alcohol in the Fortune Green store between 6am and 11pm, seven days a week.
Independent retailers near to the site said the opening could spell the end of their business. Jennie Vincent, who owns The Kitchen Table, in Mill Lane, described the move as “absurd.”
“There is already an Express store less than five minutes away – there is no need for another one,” she said. “It will detract from local businesses and bring a large amount of traffic and disturbance to the area. I don’t know a single person who welcomes this, whether they work or live here.”
And Krishna Moorthy, who owns Trends off licence, also in Mill Lane, added: “I lost 50 per cent of my trade when the Tesco in West End Lane opened and now they want to open another one even closer. I don’t know if my business will survive.”
Amish Patel, owner of Atlanta Food & Wine in West End Lane, said he didn’t know whether he would stay open. “My business has been here for 30 years but when I heard another store was opening my first thought was that I don’t want to stick around for the damage,” he said.
Since Tesco opened its Express store in West End Lane last year, residents have complained about delivery lorries blocking the road and flouting parking regulations.
Fortune Green Councillor Flick Rea, a Lib Dem, told the meeting: “The problem is Tesco allow for the cost of paying parking fines. They don’t care because they make an awful lot of money. The best thing we can do is not shop there.” An application for the Sager development was originally turned down by Camden Council but permis­sion was granted on appeal by a government inspector on the grounds that it would improve a “run-down” area.
Developers Sager Group Ltd were given permission for four shop units and a restaurant. The scheme also includes a gym.
Businesses have agreed to boycott the new store and hope to launch a campaign to encourage people to
support independent shops.
Ideas being explored include a West Hampstead loyalty card and local currency similar to the Brixton pound.
Aiden Doyle, owner of The Walnut restaurant, which hosted Monday’s meeting, said: “Tesco will kill half the high street unless we help the local traders. The more people we can tell not to shop there the better – we want Tesco to become a swear word in this area.”
The New Journal contacted Tesco’s press office but our calls were not returned.