Lavender Hill has a smart and unusual new supermarket. Back in April we reported that the large premises at 207-217 Lavender Hill (next to the junction with Latchmere Road & Elspeth Road) was set to become a new supermarket. And sure enough, Harley’s Food Hall has now opened its doors, and we’ve been impressed by the effort that has gone in to the business. This article gives a brief tour of the new venture.

Harley’s is an independent family-owned business, and this is their first store. They team behind Harley’s are well aware that they’re a couple of minutes’ walk from the largest and most profitable branch of Asda in inner London, and that there’s no point duplicating what they offer – so while there is a convenience offer covering the obvious staples you would expect to find in a local supermarket, they have also pushed the boat out on more unusual and interesting foods that you won’t find in the likes of Asda or a typical corner shop.

There’s also a general emphasis on quality – as well as on sustainable, ethical and responsible suppliers. You’ll find a mix of fresh fruit and vegetables with some less-seen options which on our visit included passion fruits, yellow courgettes and unusual tomatoes (and it’s worth noting that there’s a bit more in place now than you’ll see in our photos, which were taken on the first day of trading during the soft launch, where the produce was still arriving).

The shelf-edge prices, which were still a work in progress at the time, are all in place now as well.

There’s a particularly large selection of interesting jams and spreads, going well beyond the usual suspects – as well as a comprehensive range of dairy free, gluten free and vegan produce.

Our April article noted that this was going to become a Nisa. While there is some link to Nisa group (which provides services to a wide range of independent retailers, some of which trade under the Nisa brand), this is quite a departure from the stores that trade under the Nisa brand – Harley’s are using Nisa as one of their service providers and wholesalers, but are sourcing from far and wide to generate a wider selection of produce.

Interesting chocolates, crisps and snacks are also well represented, with quite a mix of brands and products you won’t find anywhere else on the street.

On the ‘interesting crisp based snacks’ front, you can expect to find the whole of the Tyrrells and Manomasa ranges, as well as Quinoa chips, Mister Free’d, and half a dozen other ranges.

Over at the chilled section there’s a broad mix of fresh pastas, soups, hams and dried meats, as well as an assortment of smoked salmon. The frozen section includes regular and non-dairy ice creams.

Pretty much every conceivable type of milk is on offer, as well as a decent mix of yoghurts, creams and wider dairy produce.

For many years this large unit was an estate agent, Winkworth.

After they rationalised their branches it briefly reopened as Noble Estates (another estate agent, who also have a branch in Clapham Old Town) but that all seemed to go badly wrong within just a few months, and the unit was quickly repossessed by the landlord, with notes taped to the door giving notice that various bits of furniture and a photocopier left behind would be sold unless they were claimed.

There’s been a pretty comprehensive refit since to create an impressively clean and smartly presented store. The ceiling is dark grey – which is a shopfitter’s classic approach – a relatively cheap but pretty effective way of making somewhere look smart and hiding the operational infrastructure it takes to run a modern grocers’ in plain sight. There was also work to install a refrigeration plant to service the store, much of which has been accommodated in a basement lightwell next to the premises.

It’s of course a fully licensed premises, so in addition to a bewildering range of soft drinks and juices, from the cheap & cheerful to quite high end, there’s a range of wines, beers and spirits.

Harley’s Food Hall is an impressive effort and it does bring something a bit different to Lavender Hill. It’s early days but there’s already a steady trade at Harley’s. Their opening is part of a small wave of interesting food retailers arriving in Clapham Junction, coming hot on the heels of the opening of Prezzemolo & Viltale near the station (which we reported on a couple of months ago), with a strong offer built around Italian produce, as well as a cafe whose success has (judging from the expansion in seating and the crowds it sees) significantly exceeded expectations.

Clapham Junction was also the location of the flagship new-look Marks & Spencer foodhall, which has apparently been very successful and led to the concept tested here being rolled out widely including at Battersea power station, and now Brixton. Maybe sensing the increasing competition on their doorstep, including from Whole Foods Market who have gradually expanded their Lavender Hill presence, Waitrose is rumoured to be finally planning a somewhat overdue refurbishment of their branch on St John’s Hill, which is frankly feeling a bit dilapidated.

Harley’s is a good development for the street’s retail offer, and brings a lot of interesting foods to the area! The team are keen to meet their new neighbours and open to ideas on what to stock – so do visit and explore if you haven’t already, and spread the word on this new opening by an independent trader.

Harley’s Food Hall, 207-217 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5SD, 07447 002608, hello@harleysfoodhall.co.uk, open daily.