Encouraging News on Chiswick Post Office and Tesco's Replacement
Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick
Andy Slaughter with Dame Prue Leith, Delia Smith, and Stanley Tucci in Westminster Hall
March 6, 2026
This week I have been deeply saddened by the scenes we have witnessed in the Middle East. My thoughts are with those in countries across the region who are caught up in the middle of this war. My office has been assisting those who have been stranded in the region due to the cancellation of flights, and we will continue to do all we can for constituents who may be stuck. Please get in touch if you or a family member is in need of assistance.
Last week I attended a Post Office drop-in session in Parliament led by postmasters. Whilst at the event I took the opportunity to meet with Post Office officials to discuss the future of Chiswick Post Office, which appears to be making good progress.
A welcome announcement from the government this week has been their work on allergies for children in school. The plans include requirements for all schools to stock life-saving allergy pens, to have a dedicated allergy safety policy, individual healthcare plans for affected pupils and mandatory allergy awareness training for all staff.
This is a hugely positive step forward for keeping children with allergies safe in school. Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, former constituent and founder of Natasha Allergy Research Foundation has said “We welcome this statutory guidance, and the confidence it can bring to schools, teachers, pupils, and parents to ensure that children with food allergies are safe and included at school.” Tanya’s daughter, Natasha, tragically died aged 15 from a food related allergic reaction.
This week I was delighted to welcome Leiths Education, located in my constituency, to Parliament to launch their new primary school cookery programme. The programme is a wonderful initiative for all state primary school children to have a regular cookery lesson through a free online step-by-step lesson for children to learn about where food comes from, how to prepare fresh food and how to handle kitchen equipment safely. Dame Prue Leith and Lady Caroline Waldegrave, founders of Leith’s were in attendance along with Maria Dunbar, the CEO. It was also a pleasure to be joined by special guests Stanley Tucci and Delia Smith.
On Wednesday I attended a drop-in event with Lobular Breast Cancer UK. Lobular breast cancer is the second most common breast cancer, but many have never heard of it. It is very hard to detect as the cancer grows more like a spider web rather than a lump usually associated with breast cancer. The event was a stark reminder that we need much more research in the area of lobular breast cancer and to help with earlier diagnosis.
In justice news, the Justice Committee was briefed on the Courts and Tribunals Bill prior to the second reading next week which includes controversial proposals on restricting jury trial. I also chaired an event on clearing the court backlog on Wednesday where we heard from experts about how to tackle reoffending and gained some insights from criminal justice pioneers in New York. It was an interesting event with good ideas to consider in future Committee inquiries.
Constituents may be aware that the future of Pocklington Lodge, specialist housing for blind and visually impaired people, has become uncertain due to Thomas Pocklington Trust putting the building up for sale last year. Naturally, residents of the Lodge have been very concerned about what will happen to their tenancies and if the building will be kept as housing for blind and visually impaired people.
The BBC have picked up on the story and written an article about the concerns of Lodge residents. I have been in touch with the CEO of Thomas Pocklington Trust since the beginning of 2025 to put my concerns on record. My office has also written to The Charity Commission and raised the issue with Hammersmith and Fulham Council. I have now written again to Thomas Pocklington Trust to request a meeting as soon as possible.
I mentioned last week that Tesco on Chiswick High Road is due to close in the coming months. I’m told that all staff will be relocated to different branches, but there are still questions about who will take Tesco’s place. I have been in touch with the agent operating on behalf of the owner of the site and they reassure me that they have four high quality retailers who are interested in acquiring the site, but we are still in early days. I will continue to keep up to date on developments.
Best wishes,
Andy
andy@andyslaughter.com
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