In a meeting of business minds held in a slightly sterile bar earlier this year, Tooting’s future was depressingly mapped out.

The way forward, according to the town centre manager and other powers that be, was chain stores.

Tooting has a vibrant and buzzing centre, so why not take advantage of its commercial opportunities and come and ruin it with your homogeneous shops? - was the gist of their plea to potential investors.

Enter Tesco, who have noticed a teeny tiny space in which they haven’t yet opened a store.

A grave oversight. God knows how they managed to create their £2.5billion profits this year without a store in Tooting.

But fear not, because these giants of the grocery market - of which they control a staggering 30 per cent - are coming to a street near you.

Little wonder independent local traders are up in arms. They have no illusions about their future once the familiar red, white and blue aggressor has strolled into town.

They cannot possibly compete with a massive operation deliberately undercutting everyone else.

Tooting does need investment and the dreary pound shops can hardly be said to add to its interesting character.
But any investment should be considerate. It should not mean the end of small, independent shops - which is exactly what Tesco heralds.

Ten years from now we could have another Balham or Clapham on our hands - rising house prices, uniform yuppie bars and so on.

This might be great news for anyone who has snapped up Tooting property and is waiting for a windfall, but it sounds a sad death knell for the soul, character and independence of this exhilaratingly diverse hub.