St Leonards Spar clear out three months after fire

The abandoned Spar on Kings Road, St Leonards SUS-161028-141945001

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The abandoned Spar in St Leonards is finally being cleared out more than three months after a fire devastated it.

Anaccidental electrical fire which started in a fridge left the Kings Road supermarket destroyed on July 19.

The interior looked abandoned and neighbouring businesses have been complaining about fruit flies and rats possibly coming from the store.

A Spar spokesman said it was their understanding that no food was left in the shop but there was damaged freezer equipment, but a thorough clear out was arranged after the Observer got in touch.

The debris left inside the Spar SUS-161028-141934001

Peggy Sands, of Terrace Road, St Leonards, said before this week’s clear out there was ‘no excuse’ for it to be left for so long as it is missed and she wants it to reopen.

“The state in which that shop has been left there’s no excuse for it, they could have had a skip outside and chucked the whole lot in,” she said.

“For the ambience of the road they should have the decency to put a notice up explaining what’s going on and cleared the mess up.

“It’s very much missed as a local amenity, one of the things it’s most missed for is as a cash point for people to get their pensions.

A sign in the Spar window SUS-161028-141955001

“As shops go it wasn’t a bad one but it’s time, in three months, that we were told what’s going to happen to it.”

Emma Beale, who owns neighbouring salon Hair De-zign, said they have had an issue with fruit flies recently, as have other stores, but it is not clear where they are coming from.

She added the shop has been missed and having an abandoned shop next door does not help with the look of Kings Road.