Recently, a lady stormed into the deli demanding to see the manager. My son, who was working at the time, told her that I was busy in the kitchen, and asked about the nature of her enquiry.

She said that she wanted to complain about an article entitled “Tesco’s greed will destroy our streets”, which we was displayed in our shop window. It had originally appeared in the Wood & Vale newspaper.

According to this lady, Tesco has good prices. Furthermore, she said, “it is very bad business practice” to display an article of that nature in a shop window. Although she had not bothered to read the article or try to understand its contents, her comments are at the heart of a debate that has been going on for a while now in London. The typical high street is being invaded by the chain stores, which are squeezing out the independently owned local shops that give each of the city’s neighbourhoods its own distinct character. As a result, the face of our high streets has changed forever.

Of course, there is a place for supermarkets, which offer a wide variety of basic items. The question is whether that place is in the unique high streets of London’s residential neighbourhoods, amongst their boutiques, cafes, and speciality shops.

Besides being the owner of Amoul Deli, I have been part of this community for more than 20 years. I have added my voice to this debate because it touches the small local merchants who cannot survive because of landlords who demand high rents that only big chains can afford. It also affects residents whose choices are determined by head offices, with no concern for a neighbourhood’s individual spirit, leaving our communities soulless. I believe that we all have the right to express our distaste for that kind of “progress”. 

I still remember the things I loved most about this area when I first moved here. There was Roy the vegetable man, Mr Patel the pharmacist, Timothy’s deli, and the newsagents who - thank God - are still there. Residents could find almost anything we needed on a daily basis. Your regular shop was more enjoyable because you were dealing with people on a personal level and you became a friend. In turn, shopkeepers were inclined to offer you a personal service.

That is the reason I chose to post the article in question in my shop window - to make people think about how this supposed progress is affecting our way of life, minimising

our choices, and homogenising our high streets.

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