It occurred to me that I’d not provided any update on the naming of the Lavender Hill Asda store.

And the updates are actually quite exciting.

I replied to the email to me that suggested that the store is in Clapham whatever I thought. I also spoke (via Twitter if that’s a real conversation) to one of their PR team (@dom_asdapr) who suggested that ‘Junction’ is implied, or at least it was when he lived in Tooting eight years ago. He further suggested that if there is concern they could put something about it on their blog and rename it based on the response.

If it comes to the latter, since geography is not a matter of fact but the opinion of the internet people, I’m going to campaign for it to be named after the ice planet Hoth. They’d need tauntaun parking too.

While I’ve not had any further responses several others who wrote to them have posted their, far more positive, responses on Streetbook.

Biscuit wrote asking exactly where in Clapham the store was (having seen their posters) because he wasn’t aware of any Asda stores in the Clapham area. They responded:

The poster was referring to the ASDA store at Clapham Junction, the store we have is in Battersea. We don’t have another store in Clapham.

Micky G and Gail both had the same response to their complaint:

The Marketing Team have come back to me regarding your complaint in connection with Clapham Junction.
This is an oversight on our behalf and the marketing will be changed immediately.

It seems there’s three different positions:

  1. They are in Clapham
  2. They are in Battersea
  3. They don’t know and will ask

But option two is probably the winner. The responses that Asda is in Battersea were fairly clear, and I’m not you can put much store in a late night Twitter conversation with someone in PR (sorry people in PR). I’m just not going to say anything about the email I got.

Is it too early to call this a victory for the people of Battersea? I’m not sure, however, I’m impressed at what could be achieved by just a few people, with the facts on their side, getting together on a website and taking up an issue with a corporate giant may achieve. Dare I call it an example of the Big Society? Yes. Yes, I dare!

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