Woodwares closing / Sainsburys coming to Portobello

[BeachBum]

It has been announced that Sainsburys will be opening in Porty at 220 222-228 Portobello High Street [admin: correct address].

Good news in my opinion.

I'm sure opinion will be mixed and that there will be a strong campaign against them coming to Porty as per most things.

I found this document on Peter McColls website which has some more details, http://petermccoll.files.wordpress.com/ ... obello.pdf


Edited to add link to Peter McColls website.

[Lones]

Does that mean the hardware store is closing down?

[BeachBum]

Does that mean the hardware store is closing down?

Yup!

[Puerto bella]

but they wont need planning permission for the use - its already a class 1 unit.
How could there be a campaign against it?
A bit of range and choice might buck up the co-op.

[wangi]

http://petermccoll.wordpress.com/2012/0 ... own-porty/

Sainsbury to Open Store in Portobello: One Step Closer to Clone Town Porty

The residents of Portobello, Edinburgh’s seaside, have a long and proud tradition of supporting their local traders against attacks from predatory supermarket chains. Famously, the community rallied to protect the high street from a superstore on the Scottish Power site in the north-west of Portobello. There have also been several smaller campaigns to stop superstore developments at the “Big W” site off Milton Road and on the high street itself for ‘convenience’ stores.

Sadly, it seems the community has lost the fight to protect the high street and local traders from attack, as a “Sainsbury Local” is to open at the hardware store, 220 222-228 Portobello High Street [admin: correct address]. Obviously Sainsbury will be aiming to take trade from existing shops, reducing their margins and threatening their solvency.

There is some excellent research from the New Economics Foundation showing that supermarkets return very small amounts of the money spent there to the local economy, while local shops create local wealth.

I hope we still have enough resilience as a community to resist the destruction of our high street by supermarket chains.

Sainsbury’s Local Portobello.

And the text from the PDF:

Sainsbury's - Investing in Portobello

Sainsbury's plans to open a new Sainsbury's Local, one of our branded convenience shops, on Portobello High Street.

Our proposed shop, at 220 222-228 Portobello High Street [admin: correct address], is currently a hardware store and with the owners retiring this year, Sainsbury's is delighted to have the opportunity to take a new lease of the property. We look forward to opening in Portobello, bringing new choice and value to the area, whilst playing an active role in one of Edinburgh's most vibrant High Streets.

The store is part of our on-going programme of investment in key high street locations and Portobello is an area where we are keen to have a presence. We believe that there is still demand for additional convenience shopping in the Portobello area. Our Local stores have a small catchment area and provide local residents with a convenient top-up shopping offer.

Investing in High Street Locations
With our Sainsbury's Local offer, we aim to provide a good range of convenience shops in popular and convenient locations throughout Scotland, complementing the specialist retailers that already operate in these areas. Our offer has helped attract footfall and keep trade in areas that have, from time to time, struggled in the past.

We seek to work with local traders and our stores can help to keep high street locations vibrant after other shops have closed or bring previously vacant units back into use.

Jobs
The new shop will create approximately 20-25 full and part-time job opportunities. Sainsbury's provides real jobs and real career options and every colleague is encouraged to progress their career. Sainsbury's has a wide range of colleagues at a senior level who began working on the shop floor. Putting our colleagues first and improving their working life has resulted in Sainsbury's becoming the first, major food retailer to achieve Gold Recognition in Investors in People. Sainsbury's also works hard to ensure that our stores reflect the communities that they serve so wherever possible we try to give jobs to people who live locally.

Responsible Retailer
At Sainsbury's, we take great pride in the role we play in promoting responsible drinking. All our stores operate a 'Think 25' Policy which is at the forefront of promoting a culture of responsible drinking and we are also an active supporter of Drinkaware. We also encourage our customers to make informed choices about the alcohol they purchase by printing the units of alcohol by glass or bottle on all our own-label beers, wines and spirits.

[wangi]

So, when are Scotmid selling up to Tesco?

[jb5370]

Can't believe hardware shop to close. That will be a big loss to High Street - staff always so knowledgable and helpful. Mixed feelings about Sainsbury's but sad to see that shop go.

[wangi]

but they wont need planning permission for the use - its already a class 1 unit. How could there be a campaign against it? A bit of range and choice might buck up the co-op.

I guess I don't hold much love for Scotmid either - a Sainsbury's shouldn't be any more or less damaging to other High St shops than it... Stockbridge and The Shore have one, don't see much impact there.

True, the class 1 will be compatible, significantly reducing their burden. However I'm sure want to do some reconfiguration and they'll need planning permission for that - for example the current Woodwares has the paint section split off by access to the rear (&flat upstairs?) and I can't see them being keen on that!

But a shame to see Woodwares closing.

L/

[Puerto bella]

a campaign wont stop the use and wouldnt have much hope in stalling alterations if PP required so hopefully people will bear that in mind before expending lots of energy and time on that sort of thing - potentially no pl app if all internal alts, may just be BW. Could potentially want to extend floorspace to rear courtyard and new shopfront....
Its a good size of floorspace to work with.

[Bob Jefferson]

Kind of ironic, don't you think, given that Woodware's were very much part of the campaign against the Superstore. I'll be sorry to see the hardware store go and I have mixed feelings about Sainsbury's, particularly the issues about deliveries that Sam Paterson is highlighting on the Portobello High Street Facebook Page, but it was inevitable that this would happen eventually. The quality independents should be OK but Scotmid must be very worried.

[wangi]

For the size of the premises is there really scope for delivery nightmares? The odd truck now and then, parked up the bus stop... Plus it's on the main drag, no manoeuvring around small streets.

[bearcub]

Not against this at all, and the impact will be nothing like the Superstore that the original PCATS was set up for. It's a shame about Woodwares, as it's been a saviour many a time for those last minute requirements for DIY jobs, but if the owner is retiring then there's no other realistic alternative for that size of a shop than the likes of a Sainsburys Local. It would be that or another charity shop.

The shop I do feel for though is Kost Konscious, or our POL ex-Mayor Javid's shop in other words. They will feel the impact of a shop like that only a few yards along the street. Now that is one shop which has been a saviour on many an occasion.

[Puerto bella]

Deliveries issues - are making me frown, thankyou Wangi for pointing out - its the main road, not a side street with tight geometry. If you cant deliver to retail units on a High St then where can you?

Does KK not stock slightly different items from S'burys and there's never a queue so will still be easier to pop in to for papers, sweets, drinks......and whatever else there seems to be a large demand in Porty for....... from the top shelves of these wee newsagents. lol

[Porty]

admin: Portobello Campaign Against The Superstore have not given money to these groups.

lucky there won't be a campaign as Pcats already gave their funds away to viridor and ppag .

[Franck]

Gutted to be losing Woodwares, a true porty institution and a source of pretty much anything you need for your DIY botch-jobs (or so my wife tells me)It has been very quiet whenever I've been in,though.

not fussed either way by Sainsburys.

[wangi]

Interesting comments on our Facebook page - will include them later. This particular tweet caught my attention:

@jackedin @euanmc @talkporty @PeterMcColl we should do something +ve for the retirement to thank Woodwares - card? Newspaper ad? Posters?

[Pal of Porty]

Woodwares is a major loss to Porty and was a fantastic example of great service that you can get from a small independent. I am already dreading the thought of having to go to B&Q.

[jb5370]

Do we have any idea when we will be losing Woodwares? (Not on Facebook, so sorry if it's already on there)

[administrator]

Following statement has been sent round by Diana Cairns / PCATS (source):

Dear PCATS supporter

I have heard today that unfortunately Woodwares hardware store, a Portobello institution and family business of ever 40 years’ standing, will close and they will lease the premises to Sainsbury’s for one of their Local stores. Woodwares joined us in the fight against the superstore and now because of difficult trading conditions have found themselves with a hard decision to make. This will have a negative impact on the High Street, with the loss of key goods and services that no-one else currently provides. There is also the worry about what impact Sainsbury’s will have on the other independent retailers in Portobello, as well as Scotmid.

There are no grounds of objection in planning terms as the shop is Class 1 retail and will remain so. The only things we could possibly object to are the opening hours, delivery times and alcohol licence. We shall also have to wait to see the proposal for the shop sign and whether there are any alterations to these Georgian shops.

We don’t yet know what the reaction of the other traders will be and there may be an article in tomorrow’s Evening News about the situation.

The campaign against the superstore was about protecting our local, independent and sustainable shopping centre and it comes as a bitter blow to see one of our key traders leave. A timely reminder, if one was needed, that if we want to keep our local independent shops open we need to give them our full support and patronage.

Diana
PCATS

A write-up in the Evening News:
http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-eveni ... -1-2471332

Battle in store for supermarket over Portobello plans

A PROTEST group is set for a fresh fight after supermarket giant Sainsbury’s revealed it was to take over a historic shop in Portobello.

Local traders today said the chain’s arrival in the town was “the last thing they needed”.

Campaign group Portobello Campaign Against The Superstore (PCATS), which successfully fought plans to open a superstore at a Scottish Power site in 2005, is now planning to meet to discuss taking action.

Sainsbury’s said it would create around 25 full and part-time jobs with its new “Local” branch after taking over Woodwares Mica Hardware in Portobello High Street.

The owners of the hardware shop said they were retiring and welcomed the supermarket.

As Woodwares already has planning permission for retail use, Sainsbury’s would only need to submit an application to change the signage on the listed building.

Billy Hoy, who owns independent butcher Findlay’s of Portobello, said it could spell disaster for smaller shops.

He said: “Things are that quiet at the moment the last thing you need is a big supermarket in the area.

“Shoppers are going to go there as they will be able to buy all sorts of bits and bobs under the one roof. Everywhere these stores open up, the smaller shops end up closing.”

Stephen Hawkins, chairman of PCATS, said: “I’m disappointed Portobello is losing Woodwares, which is part of the variety of the High Street.

“I also wonder if some traders won’t survive after a national store moves in.”

...(click link for full article)

And from STV Local
http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/magazine/ ... gh-street/

Sainsbury's plan for new Local store on Portobello High Street

Proposals that will see a new Sainsbury’s Local store move into one of the last remaining independent hardware stores in the city have met with a mixed reaction from local residents.

Sainsbury’s plans to take over the prominent Woodwares hardware shop on Portobello High Street, after the current owners decided to sell the shop.

In a briefing to Portobello resident and city councillor Maggie Chapman, the firm said that it is likely to employ 20-25 people in the proposed new Local store.

...(click link for full article)

[administrator]

Some of the comments from our Facebook page:

Lesley Attenburgh nooooo!! I love that shop! it has ALWAYS been in Porty

Lorna Thomas Boo that's a shame, love that shop...

Marianne Foreman Shame

Elaine Crawford good scotmid rubbish and too expensive

Gary Fox Sainsbury's

David A Calder Yes I agree Elaine - but what will it do for Williamsons or Findlays?

Fiona Brown awww love woodwares , but if they are going sainsburys is good , hate scotmid with a passion

George Sim It's a real pity that the shop couldn't have been sold as a going concern. I've known the owners for a long time and they've put a massive amount of hard work and effort into that shop. Places like that in a local community are hard to come by and it will be a great loss. Porty fought to stop a supermarket at the west side of the area because it's well known that they kill the heart and soul of a community. This may be the beginning of the end for Porty.

David Twisterboy Watters Please do not stick that there it will kill of all the little shops in porty

Leanne Claire Rockingham Nah think people will still make the effort to go to the specialist shops

Mairi Campbell Noooooooo!!

Liz Ford Noooo....disastrous!

Alice Young better than scotmid think findlays and Williamson would be okay masters of their trade x

Barnaby Dellar No! I love Woodwares!

Isabel Combe Noooooo!!! Oh! Dam .. I'm gutted last of the originals I love the shop for my garden and ironmongery .. Sainsburys!!!!! Very sad indeed ..won't be the same without you..

Hannah Ashwell Nooooooo! I go to Home Hardwares all the time, I don't want to have to go to Big stores and I especially do not want to see Sainsbury's ruin Porty like they have Stockbridge, Bruntsfield and Morningside. Can we stop them?

Mark Cooper Sign of the times. Real shame this is happening. People of Porty will Have to support local owned shops more than ever. At least they won't be able to beat the legendary man selling fruit on the high street, why buy fruit anywhere else! Stick together Porty

Fraser MacDonald Hate how Sainsbury's turn their corporate strategy into virtue: "We seek to work with local traders and our stores can help to keep high street locations vibrant". Oh please. They feed off the 'vibrancy' that came through the hard work of the independents - Findlays, Wiliamsons etc; by definition a mega-corp with over 1000 stores isn't going to give any special love to Porty...

Kerry Oram I'm fed up with scotmid, sad that woodwares will go, but I'll get over it, glad it's sainsburys, I'm sure the small business's will be ok and I bet I'll see you all in there at one point let's be honest eh!

Fiona Brown love porty shops , fruit meat and fish and will always go and i think most folk will but an alterntive to scotmid yea please , just a shame its at the expense of woodwares though

Lindsay Wilson Glad my father isn't alive to see this happening as it did 32 years ago to him when Asda opened up (Mould's the grocers)

Alan Kennedy the cartel of large supermarkets fecking up the high street retailer once again, the problem is they dont just do food, so the wee card shop closes, the florist, the butcher, the newsagent, the off licence etc etc.......theres a wee rant from a shop owner:-)

Toni Kearton No!!! Woodwares is wonderful. And we don't need another supermarket. Scotmid is.fine!!!

Ali Grant How about a 'Save our Woodwares' campaign ? That place is more than just a shop.

Christine Chambers We are part-time residents of Portobello, but we are really good customers of Woodwares, it has such an excellent range of goods and it is a pleasure to shop in such a friendly shop Sainsbury's will definitely have a bad effect on the High Street. A protest like there was against the supermarket that was being planned for the west end of the High Street would be a good idea

Ann Caldwell Very, very disappointing. The invective directed at Scotmid is just diversionary, but the disappearance of a local specialist shop is a real loss.

Irene Rafanell Really catastrophic -- Sainburies, oh no! It will change the whole ethos and atmosphere of the high street. But how could a protest proceed? If the owners are retiring I guess it would be difficult to stop who is buying the place? Can we think of a way to stop it?

Dave Davidson Love Woodwares and it is an integral part of the Porty High Street. With regard to Finlays and Williamsons, I cannot see them being affected by a Sainsbury's but I do worry about the lovely people in Kost Konscious.

[wangi]

Interesting that in PCATS statement retirement isn't mentioned and instead a big play is made of trading conditions: "and now because of difficult trading conditions have found themselves with a hard decision to make" ... "A timely reminder, if one was needed, that if we want to keep our local independent shops open we need to give them our full support and patronage"

I also find "big supermarket" being used in some of the newspaper quotes less than helpful. That's an emotive word - what's being proposed is a small "local" format store. It is a fraction of the size of the existing Scotmid site and a mere blip compared to what was being planned on the Scottish Power site.

PCATS really need to think carefully about this, plus also be very aware of the split feelings (as evidenced above) people have. This is a very different situation to a big supermarket, and they cannot automatically assume previous support they had against the Scottish Power site plans will automatically carry across to this plan...

L/

[Makaveli]

What a life that woman must have desperatley trying to find something to object to!!!

There are plenty of these 'locals' all over the country and independants survive along side them so I don't know what the fuss is about - like others have said it might make some of the local shops up their game a bit!!!

[Porty]

A timely reminder, if one was needed, that if we want to keep our local independent shops open we need to give them our full support and patronage

Woodwares enjoyed tremendous support and patronage over many years. The owner is retiring and if the story is true, has opted to take the Sainsbury Dollar. It's a bit disingenous of PCATS to blame the peeps for a traders' purely commercial decision.

The campaign against the superstore was about protecting our local, independent and sustainable shopping centre and it comes as a bitter blow to see one of our key traders leave.

One of our key traders, who else sells them?

[Porty]

Wangi- do you have a pic of Woodwares shopfront handy? Although I've seen it many times, I'm struggling to recall if its preserved in the Georgian style.

[urchaidh]

I'm a big fan of Woodwares, a regular customer and truly sorry to see it go.

As for Sainsburys coming, I'd rather it was another independent shop but at least it's a local shop on the High Street rather than another supermarket in an edge of town car park. As there's no car parking (I hope), it shouldn't increase car traffic too much other than deliveries. Better than an empty unit I suppose.

Does anyone know if there any attempt by the current owners to sell the shop as a going concern, maybe to allow another independent retailer to take over the place? Maybe the hardware business was moribund. PCATS'* statement suggests the owners are leasing their shop to Sainsburys - people have to make a living, but it would a shame if people who once campaigned for a local high street are now forced to welcome / invite in Sainsburys in this way.

* do they still exist, their website suggests otherwise)?

[gillian]

The new store won't be big enough to carry a fresh fish/butchers counter surely? I wouldn't go for prepackaged when Findlays and Williamson's are so close. The lunchtime traders may suffer if there is a meal deal. Banana Republic can't be beaten on price, though the quality is sometimes a bit iffy. The card shop practically gives cards away. Mr Hamilton has his band of loyal customers. Not sure about the other sweetie shop. Hopefully the Sainsbury's won't carry a large selection of pet goods so that the new pet shop will survive and flourish. Maybe the main losers will be the convenience stores/news agents.

Scotmid will have to compete aggresively. I won't stop going there. I am programmed to walk there, i often find myself in there when I should be somewhere else. Anyway my day wouldn't be complete without a chat to Marian, Angela and Annmarie.

Probably will go into Sainsbury's for things I can't get else where. Treat puddings etc

Woodwares though will be a huge loss, really sorry to see it go

[wangi]

Wangi- do you have a pic of Woodwares shopfront handy? Although I've seen it many times, I'm struggling to recall if its preserved in the Georgian style.

It's a hodgepodge... See the image on Google Streetview: http://goo.gl/maps/0B0m0

[Puerto bella]

http://www.pcats.org.uk/

Didnt expect that when I clicked on the link.

[Makaveli]

Loving that link PB!!!

[Porty]

http://www.pcats.org.uk/

Didnt expect that when I clicked on the link.

Is that for real? Seems way to forthright and honest for a PCATS production.

[Porty]

Wangi- do you have a pic of Woodwares shopfront handy? Although I've seen it many times, I'm struggling to recall if its preserved in the Georgian style.

It's a hodgepodge... See the image on Google Streetview: http://goo.gl/maps/0B0m0

yuck . can't much worse.

[Bob Jefferson]

http://www.pcats.org.uk/

Didnt expect that when I clicked on the link.

Oh dear. That's very naughty.

[Chas]

OK. So we're all sad that Woodwares is closing but the owners are going in to retirement and are taking Sainsbury's money to fund it (lets face it, they couldn't survive on a State Pension). The shop is, by supermarket standards, very small and so will not carry the broad range of lines a superstore would; it is unlikely to have 'counters' as they are known. So it seems unlikely that it's opening will adversely affect the specialists such as the butchers and fishmongers. So, as has been said, the losers are the convenience stores already on our High Street.

What I am surprised that no one has picked up on is that Sainsbury's are claiming they will create up to 25 jobs. Whilst I know most of them will be part-time and none will be well paid, that is probably as many jobs as all the convenience stores put together. Look on the bright side folks, it's much needed jobs.

[James A]

I don't think Findlay's and Williamson's have anything to worry about. Fresh products from these two will always trump the vaccum packed meat and fish you get in supermarkets. They haven't had a problem with Scotmid before now so don't think Sainsbury's will threaten.

Not sure what the point of having yet another 'Porty Against...' group will do to stop this. Also it makes us look like a bunch of whingers (which is what the rest of Edinburgh thinks of us already!). I bet those kicking up a stink will soon be popping into Sainsbury's for a pint of milk when no-one is looking.

The only people who should be worried about this is Scotmid. For too long they have been resting on their laurels knowing that a large proportion of their customers only shop there because they are desparate and there is nowhere else to go. I'm glad i'll never have to set foot in that dump ever again (apart from going to the Post Office). The Scotmid shop is a shambles, it is dirty, over priced and the staff are a complete joke. Zero customer service skills and why is there only one till open at busy times.

It will be sad to see Woodwares close but thank goodness it isn't yet another charity shop taking over.

[seanie]

It'll be less than a quarter the size of Scotmid. It'll be more a convenience store than a supermarket I would've thought, and it's the convenient stores that might suffer more.