Pensioners win battle against Tesco

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Pensioners win battle against Tesco

Wednesday, 14 January 2009

OAPs forced Tesco into a U-turn

By Sam Masters

PRESSURE from outraged pensioners has forced supermarket giant Tesco to perform a spectacular U-turn.

In December, the South London Press revealed the company’s plans to axe a free bus service that shuttles elderly residents to the Kennington Lane supermarket.

Now the largest retailer in Britain has bowed to public pressure and scrapped its cost-cutting plans.

The free bus was a “lifeline” for the pensioners in Rupert House, Kennington, who struggled to get to the shop without it.

Hearing the news that it had been saved, 81-year-old Rupert House resident Helene Ternovtzeff said: “It’s a really good thing.

“Everybody here is very happy, but we don’t know how long it is going to stay.

“Tesco took the bus away from us at Christmas when nobody expected it.

"They might do it again.

“I want to say thank you to the paper for what you’ve done.”

Vauxhall MP Kate Hoey said she was “delighted” Tesco had changed its mind.

Last month she took up the fight to save the bus service by writing to Tesco boss Terry Leahy with her concerns.

Replying to the MP, Tesco government affairs manager Andrew Slight confirmed that the bus would stay.

He said: “I am pleased to confirm that we will be continuing to run the free bus service to the Kennington store for the time being as we recognise that it is a very valuable service for those that use it.

“While we are pleased to continue the service for the immediate future, we may need to review the use of the service at a later date.”

Mr Slight also conceded that any decision to scrap the bus service would be taken only after “consultation” with Lambeth council.

Last month a Tesco spokeswoman said there was no requirement for it to talk to Lambeth before scrapping the bus – a position the council said was untrue.

Saturday was to be the last journey of the much-loved bus service, but now the bus will continue to pick-up Kennington residents three times an hour on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Email: sam.masters@slp.co.uk