Good to hear from you again Rob.
Please don't think that I am some sort of expert on local shopping and retail development, there are many people with more experience and who put their money where there mouth is and open a local business. Let me add that the conversation on here is actually biased against local traders as they have to pay for the privileged of posting (unlike 'normal' residents). Although we may disagree on some points, I would prefer they were part of the conversation.

I have heard the argument made by some local businesses that it would be better if the Horniman Market were in the town centre, to increase footfall. Although they might be competing directly with some of the businesses, at least they would be in the same place. Morrisons may bring more people to the high street, it will certainly have more customers than M&Co. But, like the market traders, they will compete with some local businesses.

If some of the smaller shops find new life as niche providers, that may be good for Forest Hill's overall footfall, for example providing a specialist wine shop, or a health food shop, or a fishmonger, or a baker. None of these would be adversely impacted by Morrisons (the impact would be similar to having just Sainsburys), but clearly selling tobacco products, lottery tickets, confectionery, and some basic food lines is a more profitable business than a health food shop like Well Being, or the butcher/fishmonger Billings in Sydenham. Despite having Tesco, Coop, Boots, Superdrug, and Lidl, Sydenham is able to support a small number of lovely local shops. Forest Hill has yet to attain a fishmonger, health food shop, bakery, greengrocer, or at least it hasn't had these businesses for the last 20-30 years.