Mosman locals wage war on Woolies

A local community group has taken up arms against Woolworths after the chain store group purchased six properties along Military Road in Mosman.

According to the Mosman Village Community group, the supermarket giant went on a “multimillion-dollar spending spree” in the village under the title ‘Mosman Club Community Project Pty Ltd’.

The community group believe the supermarket giant has staged several focus groups with “select” locals in the hope of drumming up support for a major retail outlet in the area.

This action coincided with Mosman Council’s preparation of its draft Local Strategic Planning Statement, which sets out the plan for land-use over the next 20 years, with Mosman Village Community group is concerned Woolworths are attempting to forestall any potential threat to a future development application.

“Under the cover of ‘consultation’, they have begun a process that will inevitably conclude that everyone wants a shopping centre that will kill local businesses and increase traffic,” Jim Slavin of the Mosman Village Community group says in a statement.

“Given their track record, we can only assume they have selected groups supportive of their proposal and will be reporting that to Council during the planning review.

“These techniques are designed by Woolworths to pull the wool over the eyes of the Mosman community.”

The community group is encouraging fellow locals to “boycott Woolworths” to send a message to the supermarket retailer that it is not welcome in Mosman.

“Woolworths is tracking you,” Mosman Village Community group states on its website.

“It knows how many Mosman residents shop at its nearby supermarkets, including Neutral Bay, Northbridge and Crows Nest.

“Stop shopping at Woolworths to send the signal you won’t support a Woolworths supermarket in Mosman.”

Further community consultation in the form of workshop sessions will be undertaken by Woolworths in September ahead of the retailer making any decisions on the planned outlet.

The supermarket giant did not respond to North Shore Living's request for comment.