New Bid to Close Marie’s Store in Acton Green
'Flawed' application seeks to convert Cunnington Street premises into flats
Marie's Store has been subject to closure threat before
March 21, 2026
The future of Marie’s Store in Acton Green has become uncertain once again after a new proposal was submitted to Ealing Council to convert the shop into two flats. It is understood that the freeholder has given notice that Marie’s lease, which is due to expire in June, will not be removed and she has been asked to vacate the premises.
Marie moved to the UK from Zambia at the age of eighteen, and she has run the shop on the corner of Cunnington Street and Antrobus Road for at least two decades. For many residents, the store is more than a place to buy essentials. It is a familiar meeting point and one of the few remaining independent corner shops in Chiswick. Marie also lives on the premises, so it is understood that the closure of the shop would mean the loss of both her business and her home.
This is not the first time the shop has faced the threat of closure. In 2013, a previous plan to demolish the building and replace it with flats was withdrawn after a strong community campaign. Residents organised a petition, arguing that the shop had been at the heart of the area for many years and played an important social role. The campaign attracted political support at the time, including from the then MP Angie Bray and local councillors such as Gary Malcolm. Their involvement helped to secure a reprieve for the shop, and Marie continued trading.
The new proposal has revived many of the same concerns. Some residents are worried about losing a small, independent shop that serves people who rely on being able to buy everyday items close to home. Others are troubled by the suggestion in the application that the shop is empty, which they believe misrepresents the situation. There is also a wider anxiety that the gradual loss of small commercial spaces will erode the character of Acton Green, where corner shops and small parades contribute to the area’s sense of community.
The application has been made under a fast track process that allows commercial premises to be turned into housing. An objector has pointed out that documents submitted with the application makes the inaccurate claim that the unit is vacant. In fact the shop continues to trade and those hoping to save the shop believed this ‘flawed’ application must be rejected on this basis.
Cllr Malcolm said, "It is very sad when a local shop closes especially since they have been here for decades. I remember when the Liberal Democrats worked to save the shop from closure when the landlord wanted to convert the shop into flats. I hope another shop can replace Marie's store."
You can make comments on the application by visiting the planning section of the Ealing Council web site and searching for reference: 260904PACBSD.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We’ve always done that and won’t be changing, in fact we’d like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we’d be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you’d like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |