Traders' dismay as Tesco plans to move in to Southgate

Earlier this month, the supermarket giant submitted a planning application for a new shopfront at 42-48 Chase Side Southgate, where it already has permission to build a 3,000sq ft Tesco Express.

However small businesses have reacted angrily to the latest move by Tesco, which recently announced plans to double in size worldwide every decade.

JK’s Sandwich Bar, at 3, Chase Side, is one of seven sandwich bars in the area. Manager Arzu Ersoy said: “I don’t want it to open. If I am not going to make as much money I could go bust and then I will be unemployed. I don’t know that that is going to happen, but if the council keeps letting these in and how are we supposed to pay our business rates?”

“There is an Asda, an M&S and a Costa Coffee nearby. How are these small businesses supposed to get along? They can undercut us and they are making a lot more sandwiches than we are.

“I’m going to write a letter to the council with my concerns.”

The new store would be 90 doors away from an Asda superstore at 113 Chase Side, and a Marks & Spencer Simply Food store in nearby Winchmore Hill Road, while the nearest Tesco Express store is in Bramley Road, about a mile away.

A spokeswoman for the chain said about 25 people would be employed at the new store, including a manager, duty manager and shop assistants. She said usually about 60 per cent of the jobs were part time.

Tesco says it expects a decision to be made sometime in July or August.

Tesco Express stores are more expensive than Tesco superstores with a premium added to non-grocery products such as confectionary, because the company says its margins are higher for their smaller stores.

There are already 550 Express 'convenience' stores in the UK.

When announcing record profits of £10 billion before tax last week, Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy said the recession was a good time to expand because labour costs were down, which meant more stores could be built for the same cost.