MWP Care steps up to help
Coles Newport’s planned four- month closure in January for a revamp will leave senior shoppers stranded if they don’t drive.
A spokesperson for Coles told PL that it is unable to remain open during the revamp, but that customers could shop at its Mona Vale Store, 3.5 km away, or use Uber Eats for same-day delivery.
Independent Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby said that older customers ‘were not able to navigate Uber Eats or online shopping.’
“Mona Vale is not far, but for someone who can’t drive, it’s a big deal,” Ms Scruby told PL. “The lack of communication and alternative shopping arrangements for their customer base hasn’t been thought through,” Ms Scruby said. “I think Woolworths in Avalon provided a good example of what best practice looks like by providing a satellite shop (during 2022 renovations). I have asked Coles to provide this, and they’ve said they won’t.”
When contacted about a pensioner’s plight who had called PL about the closure, Ms Scruby negotiated with MWP Community Care (MWP) to help transport seniors to alternative supermarkets during the store’s closure.
MWP volunteers collect clients from their homes and take them shopping or shop for the person. “It is really important that we support and empower aged residents living on the Northern Beaches to continue to live independently in their own homes,” an MWP spokesperson said.
MWP said it was happy to assist residents with transport to Pittwater Place, Warriewood Square or other shopping centres through its volunteer-led social support services team.
“Advising a generation that is not tech savvy that they can order groceries through Uber Eats or do online shopping is offensive,” the spokesperson told PL. “This generation still uses landlines; they don’t use smartphones the way younger generations do, nor do they trust giving their debit card details over the phone.”
The MWP spokesperson added that a ‘disruption to (seniors’) weekly schedule … is unnerving for them and presents physical challenges.’
Ms Scruby also said the timing of the Coles revamp was ‘poor.’ “It doesn’t reflect the needs of the community, with summer and January being the busiest month, particularly with people spending time (on the Peninsula) during the holidays.”
Ms Scruby was concerned that Coles was adding a coffee shop, which she thought would damage local business, but said Coles didn’t confirm or deny this.
For transport assistance, residents were asked to call Linda at MWP on 9913 3244.
