Sainsbury's Local has arrived on Ham Parade

It has been a long time coming but Sainsbury's Local has finally arrived on Ham Parade, taking over the site that was occupied by Barclays Bank for many years.

The jury is out on whether this is a good thing or not, some shops see it as a direct threat while others hope that it will bring additional footfall to a parade of shops that has been in decline ever since the closure of the BAe factory. The rise of estate agents, charity shops and bookmakers is a sign of that.

I plan to remain loyal to the local shops and to use this Sainsbury's as little as possible and then only as an alternative to walking down to the much larger Sainsbury's in north Kingston.