I don't really get most of this argument. In an ideal world I would like to be able to shop locally in Honor Oak at an independent butcher, fishmonger & greengrocer. As this has not happened, and doesn't look likely anytime soon, I would still rather use the local shops than merely for top-up goods.

I am no fan of supermarkets either, but they have their place. Am not seeing the ethics of not using Sainsburys but using Ocado instead. They both punch their weight in the London online market.

You are right, however, to raise the concern of the Honor Oak Supermarket. Whatever opens up, and we don't know what that will be yet, will probably mean that they will have to diversify somewhat to survive. To give them their due, they have done some of this already. For instance, they stock a few Mr Lawrence wines (the Off Licence would do well to pick up on this idea). If they started selling more fresh veg then that would work I think.

For shops that adapt and complement the new supermarket, this is an opportunity. We buy very little food from a supermarket anyway (of any sort), but to get more of what we need locally would be a boon. And this could be the spur that enables that.