Forum Topic

Liftless at Sainsburys

The lift from the carpark to the shopping floor at Sainsburys in Werther Road has been out of action for some weeks. No explanation is given either by staff or by a notice. No work appears to be happening,A significant proportion of shoppers using the store are of advanced years. To get from the carpark to the store they have to use a steep concrete staircase or, in some observed cases, have taken to exiting via the sloping feeder street from outside, thus walking into the path of incoming or exiting cars and vans. This could be seen as an accident waiting to happen. Is the management aware of this situation? Is the Health and Safety Executive interested? Does anyone care?

Alexander MacLeod ● 2641d14 Comments

See my previous thread of 12/8. I reckon it is now coming up to 8 weeks without the lift. I frequently ask about it and have been told that they are "waiting for a part". How much longer to wait? In mitigation the staff are very helpful and will always carry bags down to the Car Park, or wait outside with the trolley while one brings the car up. However it is time-wasting and annoying as I am not too quick on stairs.Come on Sainsburys hurry up and do something!

Caroline Whitehead ● 2641d

I have checked with the Health and Safety Executive concerning who is responsible for overseeing the abject state of the Sainsburys lift and the failure so far to repair it. They replied to me via email that the relevant authority is Wandsworth Borough Council.Incidentally, re people using the drive-in ramp to enter the carpark, two days ago I observed an elderly lady with a zimmer frame using that route.

Alexander MacLeod ● 2637d

Head Office put me through to the 'manager' at Putney today [name still unknown - not the one on the website!] and he was as clueless as anyone. He said it won't be back in action 'anytime soon' as they are not looking to repair but replace it - which presumably will be some considerable time.  He added that it's gone through the costing process but has proved too expensive (negating his initial comment) but they keep bringing it to the top of the issues list. I took this up with the Twitter help team just over a week ago, having raised the problem several times in the past, after I had to push our trolley down the ramp in the pouring rain the other week. I think we all need to get vocal about it - perhaps the SW15 5DQ Editor can take this up as a local issue?

Roy Robart ● 2637d

I spoke to the Manager at Sainsburys today - her name is Punam. She said that the new lift will cost £20k and that it is at present up for approval by Sainsburys HQ. She could not say how long this will take, but I had the impression that it will not be happening very soon. Meanwhile people are continuing to push trolleys down the ramp. I pointed out how potentially dangerous this is and that, if there is an accident, management could be held to blame. Punam agreed and said that staff will always help carry bags down to the car park or wait outside for cars to be brought up. However people still want to go down the ramp and she didn't seem to feel that anything could be done to prevent them doing so.So on it goes ...........

Caroline Whitehead ● 2634d

Caroline: Maybe a fall or injury on the ramp will wake them up. It would probably cost them more than 20k.

Alexander MacLeod ● 2633d

Insurers would pick up that tab.I suppose the bosses at hq would be looking to see if a lack of lift is reflected in  drop in sales at the branch. That's what really gets them moving so maybe a boycott of the branch by those affected (and others in support) would speed things up.

Andy Pike ● 2633d

I would have assumed that there were disability rights issues here, if not health and safety. But just an assumption.

David Ainsworth ● 2633d

Health and safety overcome with suitable notices warning shoppers not to use ramps or simply to take extra care.Disability rights require you to take all reasonable steps. Sainsbury would no doubt argue that the provision of a lift and its intention to repair are reasonable steps they would probably win on if challenged.

Andy Pike ● 2633d

"Sainsbury would no doubt argue that the provision of a lift and its intention to repair are reasonable steps they would probably win on if challenged.""I am shocked, shocked … "

David Ainsworth ● 2633d

I emailed Sainsbury HO amd DM'd them when this first appeared - no response at all! Will see what we can do.

PutneySW15 Editor ● 2633d

I think this situation could suggest that Sainsburys plans to disappear, just as M&S, W H Smith etc have done.

Christine Crawshaw ● 2630d

£20K does sound extraordinarily little for a new lift. Can this be right?

Herb Goldschmidt ● 2630d

Perhaps just a new component for the lift? Given the time they're taking and the lack of responses to enquiries it does make one question how committed Saintsbury's are to Putney.

Michael Ixer ● 2630d

Sorry nothing about Sainsburys but noticed they are demolishing the back of W.H. Smith. Actually about Sainsburys a few weeks back there was a really large bang by the lift so sounded like something collapsed.

Barbara Stevens ● 2630d