Dreams of buying fresh, sustainable produce and having a store run by the community could become a reality for Barnes, after the idea of opening a “people’s supermarket” captured residents’ imaginations.

And although proposals for opening a shop run by the community, for the community, is still only in the initial stages, residents have already eagerly shown support.

Charles Campion, 49, of Lonsdale Road, helped arrange public meetings to discuss the proposal and set up a visit to an existing people’s supermarket in Lamb’s Conduit Street, in Holborn, earlier this month.

He said: “People are very positive about the idea and I think we obviously learned a lot from the visit to the people’s supermarket and can take some lessons from there, from what they have done and achieved.

“We obviously need to create a model that is right for Barnes [but] the important thing is to work with shopkeepers and the community to make sure it compliments the high street. All we want to do really is consolidate the high street.”

Inspired by a Channel 4 documentary about the people’s supermarket in Holborn, as well as stories of the incredible edible initiative in Yorkshire – where produce is grown and sold within the community – a group of Barnes residents decided they would take matters into their own hands and look into filling the supermarket void on their high street, left when the One Stop supermarket closed down.

Mr Campion said: “Shopping is a very underrated thing, very commercial, but really it’s the glue [and] when done well at the community level it can be a lot of things to a lot of people.

“People would be happy if a different supermarket went in there but that’s not happened, so there is a need for the community to stand up and to act.”

Three working groups have been set up to work out the logistics of the proposed project and residents are being urged to share their ideas.

Representatives of what is temporarily being called “Amazing Barnes” will be on hand at tomorrow’s Barnes farmers’ market from 10.30am to 12pm to talk about the supermarket idea.

To get involved, call Mr Campion on 07515 199646 or email cc@jtp.co.uk.

Community supermarket facts

-Designed as sustainable food co-operatives that respond to needs of the community

-The idea is to provide healthy, local food at reasonable prices

-Shoppers often sign up as members, putting in a few hours work at the store each month in exchange for discounts