'Supermarket giant will ruin our parade' (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Carshalton shopkeepers fear for their future

7:50am Friday 13th April 2012 in News By Sophia Sleigh, Reporter

Carshalton shopkeepers are fearing for their livelihoods as the fate of a neighbouring garage becomes uncertain.

Sources close to the Stanley Park Road traders have revealed it is likely the land on which the Total garage sits will soon be sold to a large supermarket chain.

Dilip Patel, 60, from Carshalton, from Londis in Stanley Park Road, said: “We have been in this parade for a very long time – we know the community and we serve the community.

“Four shops do everything. We have been here for a very long time.”

Mr Patel said he was all for constructive competition as it produces variety however he believes a large supermarket moving in would be “more destructive than constructive”.

He said: “"We will be a skeletal ghost parade.

“We have been flooded with Tesco Express – they are coming in like locusts and they devastate a whole area.

“We are a community here.”

Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, said: “A new supermarket could threaten the livelihoods of many of the existing shopkeepers.

“Our local parade will struggle to survive if a heavyweight supermarket moves in.”

Mr Patel delivers goods to pensioners in the area and helps them out if they need to go to hospital.

He fears a supermarket will devastate the community that surrounds the small parade of shops.

The company Rontec bought Total garages in November.

They sold 225 branches to Shell and currently own 475.

The company was unable to comment on the future of the Stanley Park Road site.