Residents not pumped as petrol station closes

Following on from May’s My Pinner & Hatch End News cover story regarding plans for retirement accommodation to be built on the site of a petrol station, it has now been confirmed that the petrol station has now been closed. The Esso Service Station, on Marsh Road, shut for good on June 8 and residents have taken to social media to voice their disappointment at the closure. Gila Paget said on Facebook: “It is yet more housing, putting greater pressure on amenities and more traffic that worries me.” Lisa-Jayne Ward, on her site Community Buzz, said it was such a shame and a shock to many local residents who use this petrol station to fill up their vehicles or even to pop in for milk, magazines or confectionary. However, not everyone seemed bothered by the closure. Michael Devlin said on Facebook: “There is still going to be a petrol station in Pinner a whole two minute drive away.” The nearest petrol station for residents of Pinner is the Tesco petrol station in Pinner Green. Churchill Retirement Living plan to build 30 retirement apartments and these will be made up of one or two bedrooms, with one guest accommodation unit, parking for nine vehicles and two vehicular access points. The new building is proposed to be four storeys in height. Picture courtesy of Len Kerswill