The Co-Op in Kemp Town is planning to expand into the empty former restaurant next door and build a new entrance.
The shopfloor itself is not set to get much bigger, but it wants to put new entrance on College Place so layout could be improved.
Meanwhile, the cold storage and warehouse area currently in the basement beneath the existing store would be relocated next door, so staff don’t need to go up and down stairs carrying stock.
Both basements would then be mothballed.
In a planning application, the supermarket chain’s planning agents Wellsfield Associate’s said: “The site is served by the main pavement, which immediately adjoins it and provides access to the retail unit on the corner of the property via steps.
“This has caused issues over the years due to the level difference in the store.
“The new proposals allow for the main entrance to be relocated in College Place with a level threshold allowing clear access for prams and wheelchair users.
“The works proposed will benefit both the store and the community. Over the years several attempts have been made to change the entrance, by introducing a ramp. However, this has proved unacceptable because of the effect it would have on the footpath width.
“Expanding into the adjacent unit would allow for the redesign of the sales area layout to suit a new entrance and the added benefit of all of the back of house areas now being at one level.
“It is proposed to request that the refuse area is also relocated at the opposite side of the road.
“This would free up the electric charging point currently not accessible and create a better entrance for the store.”
Last year, the council said it would be moving the electrical charging point to the other side of the road.
The restaurant next door, 24 St George’s, closed in 2017, blaming Southern Rail strikes for a drop in custom.
A previous application to expand the Co Op into the former restaurant unit but retain the existing entrance was approved in 2019.
A spokesman for Co-op said:”Co-op is committed to inclusivity and the new entrance would improve accessibility for all customers, helping to better serve and support our diverse community
“The works are subject to the approval of the planning process, and on landlord consent.”
The basements will be ‘mothballed’ which basically means that as soon as the planning is approved they will go back to using them and have the double-sized shop floor they really want.
Great news for the morning meat runners.
What a waste of a basement.
Why on earth wouldn’t they want to use that extra space for the shop? This place is absolutely tiny and has zero space for shoppers to get past each other or queue for tills. It’s the only mini supermarket in the area and always busy day and night. I can’t fathom why they’d spend all that money on a street facing retail/restaurant space only to fill it with storage they’ve already got room for.
The entrance move only makes sense if they can get the communal bins moved but the Golden Cannon is likely to have something to say about that.
The area is crying out for a proper Co-Op or similar but this plan does nothing to give us residents a useable mini market. Total waste of time
Putting the rubbish in St. Georges Street, surely not. Have you seen the state of the bins!
I think the important aspect that they aren’t saying is that the company believes this will increase their commercial value and footfall.
Agree with many of above comments. Totally short-sighted response to the opportunity afforded by the extra space. This mini-store is totally inadequate for such a large catchment area and with no competition from another local store. They are sitting on an untapped goldmine! Currently very small range of items on sale and the ones they do have frequently run out!. Surely that says something in itself…
The funniest thing is that the restaurant next door blamed Southern Rail for their demise. Thats like me blaming the moon for being in the sky for not getting the job I wanted. Expaning the store will be a boon to the street and the neighborhood.
Been going down the pan since Mr Webb left!
Always been a crap , expensive shop I don’t use anymore expansion won’t bring me back