Estate is a 'go' after ban lifted (From The Argus)

Estate is a 'go' after ban lifted

5:05pm Wednesday 26th September 2007

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A major supermarket which stopped deliveries to a swathe of east Brighton after staff were attacked has agreed to start sending vans back to the area.

Residents in Whitehawk reacted furiously when bosses at the Brighton Marina Asda decided to halt home deliveries, with many claiming that they would not shop again at the superstore.

Asda remained committed to its no-go policy, saying that drivers were fearful after incidents of verbal abuse, stone throwing and even theft of shopping.

It was only the second time a ban had been imposed anywhere in the UK and many believed the decision reinforced outdated stereotypes about an area which had changed markedly.

But after a meeting between Sussex Police, city councillors, residents and Asda at the Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum today, the supermarket has agreed to restart daytime deliveries in the near future.

East Brighton Councillor Warren Morgan, who chairs the forum, said: "I am very grateful to Asda for coming along to the meeting.

"We were able to clear the air, learn lessons from what happened and now I think we have resolved this issue to the satisfaction of everyone concerned.

"Asda is a part of the community in Whitehawk, with around half of their staff living in the area.

"Their staff safety is paramount, and it's also worth saying that Asda have supported community events such as our successful clean-up day in April."

Coun Morgan added that many residents felt the meeting had cleared the air and were happy to shop at the store again.

Inspector Steve Curry, responsible for policing East Brighton, said he was pleased with Asda's response and praised the firm for some of the work it does, including providing food for a community event earlier this year.

He added that he had been told the service had only been operating for a short period of time before it was stopped.

He said: "Home shopping is a new part of their service and when you have a new system there are going to be teething problems.

"Clearly residents are very happy that the service is back and it is particularly valuable to the elderly."

A spokeswoman for Asda said the firm would work closely with police in the future. She said: "We are happy that we cam resume this service.

"Our main concern is to ensure the safety of our staff.

"It is very unfair that we have been put in a position where they do not feel safe when they are at work."

Will you shop in Asda again after they lifted the Whitehawk ban? Tell us below.

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