Forum Topic

any updates on cinema and waitrose

nice  to  get  some new s on the above

John Kennedy ● 3949d20 Comments

It would indeed

Chris Hurley ● 3949d

Sadly progress seems to be terribly slow on redeveloping The Oaks. Shops were closed down too soon, the inly remaining store is Poundland and I believe the developers would prefer they were gone also but they have a 2 year lease. I read this somewhere on the forum.Goodness knows how long it will be before we have a supermarket in this location and there is no proof that Waitrose will return to Acton anytime soon.Acton desperately needs this redevelopment to proceed but it looks like it will be a long wait.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3948d

I bumped into our councillor, Abdullah Gulaid, today and he said he would find out about the Curzon and get back to me.Hope he finds some good news.

Sara Nathan ● 3947d

One of the Security chaps in The Oaks said he thinks it will take at least 2 years before we have a decent shopping mall.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3943d

This is the link to the developers site. It says June 2018 completion. I rang up the people who did the planning work and they said it takes around 1 year to get everything in place to start building there is a shortage of cranes and scaffolding in london which forms part of the problem. On the site they say a June 2018 completion which seems to fit with the timeline. http://reefestates.co.uk/portfolio/acton/

Nathan Macrides ● 3925d

Oh dear, just as I thought, that is a dreadfully long time to wait before we have some decent shops in what is now mostly an empty space, apart from the 1 remaining store Poundland.I wonder whether the shops in Acton High Street are now finding fewer shoppers in the area? The shops in The Oaks were closed prematurely and right now it looks like a wasteland.Thank goodness for Ealing Broadway where there is so much more choice.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3925d

I hear that the developers have now reached an agreement with Poundland, and they are moving out in March/April.

Urs Esser ● 3921d

Then what?  I for one will not be shopping in Acton High Street for some time, this is a disgrace. They were so keen to close all the shops and now we have to wait goodness knows how long for somewhere decent to shop in Acton.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3921d

Oh, come on, there are still some lovely fruit and veg places left on and near the high street... really friendly shopkeepers and way better quality than the stuff in Morrs that has been picked far too early to last 4 weeks on the shelves... The small shops also sell many ethnic food items for a half the price you pay in Morrs.Churchfield has many lovely individual shops - there is nothing missing here in Acton - if you are willing to try different shops and walk a few mins to complete your shopping.

Urs Esser ● 3921d

The shops we frequented were located in The Oaks, that will be closed for goodness knows how long. There is no guarantee that Waitrose will open in The Oaks in a few years time.We lost Iceland (nearest branch East Acton), Poundstretcher (nearest branch West Ealing) and now Poundland is closing in the near future.Almost every time we buy bananas in the smaller vegetable shops they are bad on the inside because customers like to squeeze them!The shops in Churchfield Road are nice as long as one can afford them.I am sure that far fewer people will choose Acton High Street for their weekly shop when there is a much better choice in Ealing Broadway. In fact we meet several of our neighbours in Ealing Broadway doing their weekly food shopping.There are fewer car parking spaces now that The Oaks has closed the car park. Trying to park in Morrison's Car Park on Fridays is a challenge to say the least!Of course we do have our local Co-Op which is fine of one is desperate.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3921d

And another one bites the dust!!!Poundland closed down today - The Oaks is an empty shell. They only took over from the 99p store a few months ago but I believe the developers wanted them gone!Goodness knows how long before The Oaks reopens, meanwhile it's off to Ealing Broadway for shopping trips!  Acton High Street has plenty of Betting Shops, a few vegetable shops, coffee bars and apart from Morrisons not much else.How much longer will Acton residents have to wait for The Oaks to reopen I wonder?

Jean F Fernandez ● 3891d

t is going to take 2 years to do the redevelopment. Now that all the retailers have been moved out i expect they will start development very soon it is not in the developers interest to let the space sit around empty. I am not sure why people have a problem with this? These things take time, the tenants have to be moved out before work can start and they move out at different times based on the contracts in place. The Oaks was in need of redevelopment, the stores in it were awful. Once the regeneration is complete you will see better tenants move into the shops on the high road too, the same thing has happened on Askew road and Shepherds Bush Green. 2 years is not a long time considering the improvements that will be made to the area.

Nathan Macrides ● 3890d

Will be interesting to see if you are right on that score. Roll on to 2018 lol. Hopefully QPR will also be back in the Premiership by that time.

Tony Crumpton ● 3890d

And we will have the LizzieLine aka crossrail by then too.We should all live so long!

Sara Nathan ● 3890d

ANY development is better than the rubbish that was there previously and can only lead to further improvements. Not having terrible shops for 2 years is a small price to pay.  The cinema once it is completed should have an even more profound impact.

Nathan Macrides ● 3890d

Could not agree more with you Nathan. I'm excited by the changes to come - long overdue. I will not be among those mourning the loss of eyesore, seedy shops that, however practical, were always gloomy to visit. A general uplift of the High Street (like the stretch of Churchfield Rd near Acton Central) will hopefully mean less filth on the pavements too.

Susan Flory ● 3890d

I completely agree with Nathan and Susan.  The Oaks was a dismal place to visit and anything would be an improvement.I can probably survive a couple of years without Poundland and Sports Direct on the doorstep -  there are several branches of each within a 3 mile radius anyway. I'm sure if Waitrose have a change of heart they will be back (hope not though!)

Richard Foster ● 3889d

We all agree the Oaks was a dump and will not be missed. 2 years is nothing if we get a cinema , waitrose or similar . Acton needs a revival and hopefully the closures of the Oaks is the start . The high street is dying so hopefully the revived Oaks will deliver the right mix of what people want now

Peter Truesdale ● 3889d

It seems to me the redeveloped Oaks would be more viable as a shopping/entertainment centre if additional bus-stops are added nearby (one on each side of the High Street, obviously).  It's a long way between the King Street/Crown Street (Morrisons) and Acton Town Hall stops.  There should be a stop about half-way between.  There's plenty of space - the pavements are wide in that area.

Tim Joslin ● 3885d

Tim - the High street used to have more stops - these were removed or resited when the High street was 'improved'.  makes the High street a bit of a no go area for those of us with mobility problems - unfortunately TFL didn't think fit to consider this.

Nina Battleday ● 3885d