Petition fights Whitchurch Tesco plans
Wednesday 2nd February 2011, 2:25PM GMT.
Campaigners calling on supermarket giant Tesco to scrap plans for an out-of-town store in Whitchurch today said they are hopeful of collecting more than 1,000 signatures.
Campaign group WH21, which is made up of independent town traders, is behind the petition, which has already been signed by “hundreds” of people.
It has been circulating around independent shops in the town since late January.
It calls on Tesco to expand its current town centre store and scrap any proposals to create a new store at Edgeley Park, home of the town’s rugby club.
Mike Bate, a property developer and founder member of WH21, said the petition was about “saving the high street”.
He said: “I’ve been looking at the comments people have made and the overall majority of people have said Tesco should stay in town and extend their present store.
“Of course, some people believe Tesco should go out-of-town and that it will be a good thing.
“But I have already had at least three shops who have said their petition sheets are full.
“I will have a better idea of how many names we have at the end of next week but I would hope we will get at least 1,000 names.”
Tesco is eyeing up a deal to create a new 42,000 sq ft store and petrol station at Edgeley Park, while keeping a presence in the town centre in the shape of a smaller store at White Lion Meadow.
No planning application has so far been lodged but one is expected to be submitted by March.
Meanwhile, rival supermarket Sainsbury’s has lodged plans with Shropshire Council to create a new store off London Road, closer to the town centre.
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Just when I thought that it was now virtually impossible to voice a true honest comment about affairs affecting the everyday lives of the residents of this Fair Isle an opportunity presents itself in this appendage of the E&S and I submit this knowing full well that it will not be presented … here goes! ..
The E&S has an insertion praising with all the enthusiasm of the rhetoric of the anouncement of a Royal Wedding! … it proclaims in grandiose terms the benefits of the opening of yet another Grocery Store at of all places Burnt Tree Island Dudley! .. Oh Joy! .. another mega store! … I could understand the euphoria if the announcement was pertaining to the opening of a plant which was to open and employ thousands of skilled and productive employee’s to produce a high demand and precision product for sale in quantity beyond our borders.
In the time that was, in the Land that once made me! .. this was a fact and not a fanciful Dream precipitated by the purveyors of drivel.
We have indeed become as was once proclaimed in Derision! … “A Nation of Shop Keepers”
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