By Zara Hill and Nicole Weber
A new Aldi set to open on Holloway Road has been granted an alcohol license by the Council.
The opening of a brand new Aldi on Holloway Road, by Archway Station, caused concern for local residents due to the already high level of street drinking.
Local resident Sarah Martin, 33, said: “I do see a lot of people drinking outside shops here and I guess if there’s going to be another place to buy alcohol it’s worrying.”
Archway is a designated saturation zone for alcohol on account of the number of licences issued, following the loosening of regulations. As a result, many corner shops applied for a license.
Kate Calvert from campaigning group Better Archway said: “There is a bit of an issue with street drinking in the area, although Archway is already an exclusion zone so street drinkers can be moved on. But access to drink does lead to anti-social behaviour of all kinds, including vandalism and aggression to others as well as increased domestic violence and underage drinking – a complex mesh of issues, in other words.”
Councillors, locals in favour and against as well as Aldi representatives were all present at an Islington Town Hall meeting. Councillors Nick Wayne, Satnam Gill and Michelline Safi Ngongo took into account both the arguments for and against the plans for the new store.
A representative from Aldi said: “At Aldi, there is a great social responsibility.” The representative argued that there have been no reports of alcohol being sold to anyone under the legal drinking age.
To help keep the level of street drinking as low as possible, Aldi have promised to keep alcohol displayed away from the store front.
There was also concern that deliveries at unsociable hours would disturb local residents. Aldi were quick to reassure that this would not be an issue, by stating that deliveries would only operate until 5pm, with none before 7am or on a Sunday. They also added that this would be much better for residents compared to the current Poundland, which has no delivery restrictions, so deliveries can arrive 24/7.
Local resident Anita Frizzarin, who strongly opposed the new supermarket, believed that there was already enough alcohol being sold in the area. Ms Frizzarin was concerned that more alcohol would bring more crime: “This would bring more drunk people than there are already. Having alcohol does not make the situation better.”
Peter Roma, a resident from Archway Road, was in favour of a new Aldi as he doesn’t like driving all the way to Tottenham just to shop at his favourite store. “I like Aldi because they have high quality alcohol products for a reasonable price.”
After hearing all arguments, the subcommittee confirmed that the new Aldi can operate with an alcohol license. They will only be able to sell alcohol 11am-10pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am-5pm on Sunday. In addition to this, they will have delivery restrictions in place, with no deliveries on Sundays or bank holidays.
I find it hard to understand why people think that Aldi is going to cause more problems with alcohol? There wasn’t this concern about this when Sainsbury’s opened but what about Mc Donald’s? It might not sell alcohol but look at the large amount of teenagers that always hang around McDonald’s, no matter where or what time of day. I’ve even seen 2 security guards standing at the main door. I personally think that large groups of bored teenagers are a lot more of a problem than the people who are drinking. Let’s get this right,these people are homeless & are selling the big issue in Archway, their not going round causing grief in large numbers by causing anti-social behaviour around Archway. Yeah right they (or most) are alcoholics but who blames them at the end of the day they have no no home they have to sleep on the streets dating day out and take abuse fun others who think that they they have a right to and that they are are somehow more respectable than homeless people dispite the fact that NO ASKED not to have a home but they sure are a lot more respectful & more polite than these low lifes who are so up their self.
So going back to Aldi causing or adding to Archways social problem, these people who are saying that need to open their eyes & sit on a bench & spend some time looking around them!