Supermarket giant withdraws plans for 24-hour service from Fulham store

The council’s licensing portal indicates 21 comments had been submitted in response to the application

The grocery retailer had applied to Hammersmith and Fulham Council for a licence enabling its Munster Road, Fulham shop to run a 24-hour quick commerce service'

LDR

Ben Lynch

6 days ago

West London residents have spoken of their relief after Co-op withdrew plans for a 24-hour service from one of its stores.

The grocery retailer had applied to Hammersmith and Fulham Council for a licence enabling its Munster Road, Fulham shop to run a 24-hour “quick commerce service”.

The store would have closed to the public between 11pm and 7am, with sales between those times to be for online delivery only.

Co-op has said the service allows it to provide delivery at any time of day with milk being one of its most popular product purchases.

Some locals however were concerned that the proposal would lead to increased noise and disturbance late at night.

The council’s licensing portal indicates 21 comments had been submitted in response to the application though does not clarify how many are objections and supportive statements.

Charlotte Dexter, a resident who filed a representation on behalf of the Barclay Road Conservation Area Neighbourhood Watch and campaign group FulhamTogether, challenged the request.

She wrote that, following communications with the premises operations manager, she understood it would operate as a “dark” store between 11pm and 7am with two members of staff to be present overnight.

Ms Dexter argued there is an “overwhelming dominance of residential frontage” along Munster Road and that the late-night service would expose locals to more delivery riders and greater engine or motor noise.

She wrote: “The introduction of this form of overnight delivery activity 23:00-07:00, and the associated noise it generates, is not a proportionate or necessary basis on which to grant this application.”

The application has since been withdrawn by Co-op. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked the company why though this particular point was not clarified.

The Co-op has said it is pushing forward with a raft of new stores

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One Fulham resident, who did not want to give their name, said: “As a parent I was particularly worried about the impact on children and teenagers trying to sleep and study. My son’s bedroom faces the road and he is preparing for important GCSE years ahead. Residents should not have to sacrifice their family life and wellbeing for unnecessary overnight alcohol deliveries. We are relieved that the application has been withdrawn.”

They added: “Residents were deeply concerned that this proposal would have transformed a quiet residential area into a late-night alcohol delivery hub. Families should not have to endure motorcycles, noise and sleep disruption throughout the night simply to facilitate round-the-clock alcohol deliveries. The withdrawal of the application is a major win for the Fulham community and shows the strength of local feeling on protecting residents’ quality of life.”

Ms Dexter said: “Co-op withdrew their application for good reason; 24/7 delivery hubs will cause great public nuisance to Fulham’s very delicate, highly densely residential neighbourhoods.

“Fulham residents cannot sustain the ever- increasing negative impact of delivery noise and nuisance travelling across Fulham after 11pm.”

A Co-op spokesperson said: “At Co-op, we aim to meet the needs of all of shoppers and offer a 24hr quick commerce service in a number of stores across the UK to provide grocery delivery at any time, day or night, for the wide range of products available in our stores, milk being the most popular. We do not have a current live application to expand our existing quick commerce operation at the Munster Road store in Fulham beyond normal store hours.”

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Supermarket giant withdraws plans for 24-hour service from Fulham store

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