Residents of a small Scottish suburb who have to travel six miles to go to the supermarket have brought their case to the UN as a breach of human rights. The Glaswegian town of Castlemilk has been in a six-year battle to get access to fresh food, despite having alcohol, betting and fast-food shops at their disposal.
The residents’ board, which presented the issue to the UN online, noted there is “increasing food insecurity and limited access to affordable and nutritious food, which disproportionately affect low-income households”. Originally built to relocate residents in Glasgow’s inner city slums, it’s now home to 14,600 people who have to make a six-mile return journey to an Asda store in Toryglen or Aldi in Rutherglen, with many having to spend extra money on buses or taxis. 84-year-old Anna Stuart, chairman of the Castlemilk board, told MailOnline they were “extremely grateful” to be able to present their case to the UN, and hoped it would highlight the issue because they are “determined” to get a supermarket.
She added: “One of our human rights is access to fresh affordable food and we don’t have that. We don’t have a supermarket…. we’ve got a McDonald’s, a Subway, a Greggs and we’ve got seven alcohol outlets in the centre alone, and in an area of multiple deprivation that’s not a very good example.
“A lot of people have to go to Asda and if they don’t have access to their own car they have to get a taxi back which costs between £10 and £12.”
The Castlemilk Housing and Human Rights Lived Experience Board told the United Nation’s Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva that it breaches Article 11 of the UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Glasgow City Council told residents three years ago that an imminent “household name” supermarket would be introduced to the town following a £450,000 refurbishment of the area’s Brae’s Shopping Centre, however residents claim there has been no progress on fresh food.
The area is served by an Iceland, which primarily sells frozen goods.
Ms Stuart added: “We welcome the committee’s recommendation that the government adopts a comprehensive national strategy for the protection and promotion of the right to adequate food to reduce reliance on food banks, set clear, time-bound targets and establish appropriate mechanisms to assess progress.”
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson told MailOnline: “Further environmental work will significantly improve the quality of the shopping centre, making the centre more attractive and accessible while enabling space for a new supermarket there.
“The original proposals for the project have not changed and we continue to support the redevelopment.”