Plans for a new Asda Express store in Blackheath to sell alcohol have been approved, despite residents saying it could contribute to problems with people urinating in public and littering which they claim already plague the area. The supermarket chain will soon open a convenience store in a defunct Lloyds Bank in Blackheath Village and, after permission was granted in a decision notice published by Greenwich Council on Thursday (October 10), will be able to sell booze.
Alcohol sales will be from 7am to 11pm each day – the same hours the store will be open. The building where the new branch is housed dates back to 1863 and was used by Lloyds Bank for around 80 years until it closed in 2020. The structure has stood empty since then.
The scheme received 72 objections from residents and was discussed at a licensing meeting on 3 October. John Barron, speaking on behalf of the Blackheath Society, said the organization had never received as many concerns from local people as it had for the current application.
He claimed there were already over 40 premises permitted to sell alcohol in Blackheath Village and deliveries to other businesses in the area often brought traffic in the area to a “standstill”. He told the meeting: “We feel we have reached a tipping point in terms of the number of alcohol licenses in the village collectively and we would ask this committee to consider this application in the context of the overall village.”
Local resident Richard Kiveal said he lives ten meters from the former bank and he is also concerned about how Asda would plan to deliver stock to his store without blocking pedestrians and drivers. He added that there was a large amount of litter left on the nearby residential street from customers of existing businesses.
He told the meeting: “Take it from the residents who live and breathe this every day, there is very significant anti-social behavior as a result of existing licences. This includes loud shouting and fighting, vandalism and public urination which is deeply unpleasant for residents and leading to late-night disturbances.”
Solicitor Richard Taylor, speaking on behalf of Asda, said there was a loading dock outside the old bank and discussions had been held with the council to restore appropriate signage. He added that the store would provide additional bins to deal with waste from customers and staff would regularly sweep outside the front of the business.
He added: “We’re judging Asda here by other people’s standards and not Asda’s standards… We have an awful lot of experience doing this and we have a track record of doing it without any difficulty whatsoever.”
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