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Woman says town is now so posh she can't go to Sainsbury's in pyjamas anymore

A woman has claimed her hometown has become so 'posh' that she can't go to Sainsbury's in her pyjamas anymore.

Andzelika Lus says she hardly recognises South Acton as people sneer at anyone in a tracksuit.

The now-trendy west London neighbourhood recently got rid of playgrounds and fields and says 'regeneration' is ripping through the area, reports the Mirror.

(Facundo Arrizabalaga)

The local claims anyone who dresses down to leave the house now gets shot a dirty look.

She told MyLondon that many youngsters are automatically regarded as troublemakers or even drug-dealers.

The redesigned Acton Gardens estate is pushing many long-term original residents out, she says.

"When people who'd lived here a long time started moving out and posh people started arriving things really started changing," she said.

"South Acton didn't used to be posh. It has always been a place for people who've worked really hard for their money. Before all these new builds came, everyone was friends and knew each other.

"But it's not a family community anymore, the new people are just rude. They mostly are in their 30s and don't have kids.

"We used to be able to go to the corner shop in our pyjamas. But now it's like if I go Sainsbury's in my pyjamas people are just gonna be staring at me.

(Facundo Arrizabalaga)

"It's not acceptable. You're not allowed to do that anymore.

"They see these people dressed up in tracksuits and think we're you know, not on the same level as them. They think we're some bad kids, drug dealers who play loud music and smoke weed."

She many people she has grown up with have been displaced with lots moving away.

For those who've remained, much higher service charges meant flats even at a 'social rent' level were still too expensive.

"Everyone had to move," she continued. "Some of these new-builds are quite expensive and most of them are privately owned. So the one where I live, it's four buildings and mine is the only council one."

The youth centre is one of the few old places to have survived the decades-long revamp of South Acton.

Other establishments have not been so lucky, the small community convenience stores which used to line the bottom of the estate's blocks have all gone.

(Facundo Arrizabalaga)

"Units have either been left vacant other than the few occupied by businesses that are more expensive and serve a small portion of the community.

"Everything is just empty," Luse added. "Right now they're making a gym, there's a unisex barber now, we have a small Sainsbury's and the GP, that's pretty much all we have.

"You have to go all the way to [Acton] High Street or Chiswick if you want to buy something.

The corner shops we had used to be a lot cheaper, the Sainsbury's we have now is more expensive than Waitrose and Marks & Spencer."

Responding to the issues she raised, a council spokesperson said: "Ealing Council is delivering one of London's biggest council homebuilding programmes, with thousands of new socially rented homes being built around the borough.

"Acton Gardens is a key part of that work, and once completed in around 2027, it will host around 3,400 new homes, of which 1,250 will be socially let at rents within the means of local people on low incomes.

"There will be twice as many homes at the estate than before regeneration started, and almost a third more affordable housing, which is partly funded by the sale of other new homes.

"We are replacing the existing poor quality social housing with enough new homes to accommodate all existing residents who want to continue living on the estate.

"There will be more of the larger, family-sized homes which are in particularly short supply in Ealing. Retrofitting the old buildings was not an option, as many of them are at their end of their expected lifespan..

"The only way to make best use of the land available to us is to build new, fit-for-purpose, energy efficient buildings. We can only do this once we've moved the existing residents out of their old homes, with those who want to stay on the estate moving into their new homes at Acton Gardens.

"All Ealing Council regeneration schemes are subject to extensive consultation with local stakeholders, and a ballot of all qualifying residents. There was overwhelming support for the estate's redevelopment in the residents' ballot."

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