Letter: It is imperative to keep up the pressure on Tesco
I started using Streatham Swimming Pool as a child when my swimming club, Leander S.C., used to compete there against other local clubs such as Streatham S.C. and Battersea Jacs S.C. Until recently we used to hold Keith Hill MPÂ’s constituency surgeries there too, where we dealt with hundreds of constituents problems. So I was greatly alarmed when I heard the pool had to close because of health and safety concerns.
Others will seek to make political capital out of this closure and use it to knock the current Lambeth Council administration but local residents have no interest in that – all they want is for their pool to re-open.
The fact is that administrations of all different political persuasions have not greatly invested in the pool because they expected the Streatham Hub scheme – of which a brand new leisure centre is a part – to be developed by Tesco.
Tesco are currently negotiating with Lambeth Council about the future of the Hub scheme. It is therefore imperative that we keep up the pressure on the retailer, which recently announced interim pre tax profits of £1.4bn, to deliver what it promised to this community. I do not see how engaging in the usual political knock about will help us get our pool back.
Chuka Umunna
Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham
