Unused massive empty space in Empire Square Long Lane

Anybody here knows why the huge space in Long lane, under the block of flat near Tesco is left empty?
That space could resolve so many things that the area misses... starting from a good supermarket, but also be used for other solutions..

Why is left like that? Not only is incredibly ugly, but is not sympathetic towards the area.

Has anybody started a petition?

It was going to be a Waitrose, so I understand, until Southwark wouldn't let them have any parking.

The massive anbd beautiful Waitrose in Edgware road does not have parking.. like many others in the centre... I really don't understand.

Waitrose probably don't consider the Borough/Bermondsey local demand and transport provision to be the equal of Edgeware Road... Which would be right.

Since then the new small waitrose concept has come to be (such as Angle).

I can't imagine that unit being suitable for a supermarket - surely it doesn't have enough 'backroom' space? It's mostly glass on both sides. You'd end up with lots of blanked-out windows and doors, wouldn't you? Hardly a triumph for the much sought-after active frontages that planners are always looking for.

The unit designed as a supermarket with a proper loading bay etc at Empire Square is now mostly Soho Gyms with the tiny Tesco Express taking up a small proportion of the space.

Wasn't this the space that Guys were trying to use for kidney patients as a day centre for Dialysis??

James Hatts wrote:

I can't imagine that unit being suitable for a supermarket - surely it doesn't have enough 'backroom' space? It's mostly glass on both sides. You'd end up with lots of blanked-out windows and doors, wouldn't you? Hardly a triumph for the much sought-after active frontages that planners are always looking for.

Sainsbury's at Bermondsey Square has dealt with this by having the partitions up for a store-room with some kind of art "space" between the partitions and the windows, and it looks pretty good. I know the windows at Empire Square are a bit bigger, but surely they could come up with something creative...?

That makes more sense James - I'm sure I'm misreporting something I read hear before!

AndyABC - the 'art space' is now the Vitrine Gallery and nothing to do with Sainsbury's. It was part of the design for Bermondsey Square by the developers, Igloo. Even in its original guise, with Nyman's photos, it was was a 'unit' in its own right.

I would like to see some more 'art' in the space at Empire Square. There must be 101 good uses for the space, even on a temporary basis.

It is due to become the Guys Dialysis centre