How many supermarkets do we need?

It was with dismay this week that I saw that Peckham's in Bruntsfield is to become yet another Sainsbury's local, although there was a small glimmer of hope when it became apparent that they had rather jumped the gun with their coming soon posters as permission has yet to be formally granted. (Unfortunately, I missed the deadline to register objections with the council).

Bruntsfield Place and Morningside Road are one of the few parts of the city that retain a distinct character, with different and unique local shops. Sainsburys will add nothing practically that isn't already available close by, whilst their standard isue store frontage will be completely out of place with the aesthetics of the street which retains a great deal of character.

There is also the question of how many supermarkets we really need in this city. My half an hour walk home from Princes St would now take me past or very close to 2 Tesco and 2 Sainsbury in a very small geographically area at Tollcross, plus a Scotmid, then the planned Sainsburys in Bruntsfield, another Tesco at Holy Corner, Waitrose on Morningside Rd, Marks and Spencers Food and then another planned Sainsburys at the bottom of Morningside Rd.

Of course, most of these shops are relatively small, so the overkill in this area pales into insignificance compared to the sheer lunacy of the council's planning decisions in nearby Gorgie, where (against the advice of officials) planning permission has been given for a large Morrison's at Hutchison Road and a large Sainsbury's on the old B+Q site at Longstone. Taking into account the already existing massive Asda at Chesser and the new Sainsburys at Gorgie that makes 4 large supermarkets in a chain with each one separated from the next by no more than a few hundred metres. Bearing that in mind, treat any claims that this LD-SNP administration is supporting local business with a big pinch of salt come voting time in May.

Personally, I'm setting myself a target not to shop in either new Sainsburys when they open and try to make as much use as possible of the excellent local shops already in the area. Resist.