Dean Street Tesco declared an ‘asset of community value’

A Tesco supermarket saved from demolition by a local campaign in 2023 has been granted additional protection from any future applications. Westminster City Council has formally recognised the Dean Street store in Soho as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) following a nomination from the Soho Society.

Councillors sitting on the local authority’s planning committee voted four to two in October to reject plans to knock down the Tesco and an Art Deco building and replace them with office space and retail units. Chair Cllr Ruth Bush said to members there was “no concept” behind the submission, while locals raised doubts about the need for offices and an “art bazaar” in place of the supermarket. Resident David Bieda said: “You can’t buy your fruit and vegetables with a bit of public art.”

Following the committee’s decision, the Soho Society, which works to promote and protect the iconic London district, nominated the Tesco to become an ACV due to its contribution to the local community. The council has since agreed to recognise the store as such, describing it as offering the “best range of products and price points” in the area.

The designation of the Tesco as an ACV means if the property it occupies goes up for sale, the community will be offered the chance to purchase it first. The listing can also be considered a material consideration in the determination of a planning application affecting the property. It will remain an ACV for five years.

Cllr Geoff Barraclough, cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: “Local supermarkets are staples of daily life, and it is well known that there are fewer places in Central London for grocery shopping. That is why I am pleased we can mark this supermarket in Soho as an asset to the community, acknowledging that it is serving local people by providing space for a wide range of affordable food.”

The Soho Society nominated the store to be designated as an ACV as it is the only large supermarket within Soho and it provides an important facility for the district’s 3,000 residents, as well as its many workers and visitors, stated a report for Westminster Council.

Other supermarkets located within the neighbourhood either have a limited range or are too costly, said the society.

The council report noted that 30 percent of Soho residents live in social housing, and there are 25 families who are particularly vulnerable in the cost of living crisis.

“Soho is in the 30-40 percent most deprived neighbourhoods in the country according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

“The Priority Places for Food Index developed by the Economic Social and Research Council, identifies neighbourhoods that are most vulnerable to increases in the cost of living and which have a lack of accessibility to cheap, healthy, and sustainable sources of food.

“The index ranks Soho in the first decile (highest priority) for social-demographic barriers to food, and is in the second decile for food support for families,” states the report.

Since the temporary closure of Goodge Street Tesco — which is being reduced in size — the Dean Street store has also become an important amenity for Fitzrovia residents.

The Dean Street Tesco becomes the sixth active ACV in Westminster. The others are The Coach and Horses pub in Greek Street, the nightclub Heaven, Queen’s Park Hall/All Stars Boxing Gym in Harrow Road, Prince’s Square Gardens, and the Curzon Cinema in Mayfair.

Westminster Council decision: Designation of supermarket, ground floor 2-4 Dean Street as an Asset of Community Value.

Additional reporting by Linus Rees.