Tesco plans ‘would take £2.7m out of Shrewsbury town centre’
Saturday 9th July 2011, 1:21PM BST.
Tesco’s plans to increase the size of its Extra store in Shrewsbury by a third would result in £2.7 million in trade being lost from the town centre each year, it has been claimed.
New figures also claim the extension to the store in Harlescott is expected to result in an extra £5.4 million in sales of non-food goods at the supermarket.
However, it is also anticipated there will be a loss of nearly £3 million in trade from the town centre.
The figures have been provided by Indigo Public Affairs Ltd, which has been hired by Tesco to carry out a public consultation over its plans, and have been revealed to town councillors at a meeting.
Traders in Shrewsbury today claimed the amount was “significant” and said it would cripple retailers in the river loop.
Councillor Peter Nutting, leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, who also runs a sports shop in the town, said: “I think it will have a significant impact on the town and needs to be considered as part of the total application. I think we have to be careful about allowing extensions to supermarkets on the edge of town.”
John Hall, from the Shop in the Loop group, said he believed the plans should be refused. He said: “I think the amount is significant and this is on top of everything else that Tesco is taking out of the town centre.”
Sophie Akokhia, corporate affairs manager at Tesco, said: “There were outline discussions about the value of non-food trade the extended store might achieve at the pre-application meeting with the town council’s planning committee.
“However, it is too early at this stage to be specific about an accurate forecast for that figure as we are still finalising plans for the layout of the store and working through our detailed retail impact study.”
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Ref. the last sentence in the above article.
Here we go again. Parking fees will cripple traders, now Tesco’s proposed expansion will cripple them too.
If I remember rightly, these traders said the same when Tesco first opened, yet they are still here, whining at every opportunity.
Face facts, the CUSTOMERS want Tesco, if the proposal is refused, there will not be hordes of people rushing to the town centre shops. Ou of town shopping is here to stay, thankfully.
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There is obviously a reason why people would rather buy from Tesco then traders in shrewsbury, lower your prices or stop whinging!
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We have the same threat from this creeping menace in Buxton, derby’s but up to yet the locals have resisted its attempts to invade our town.
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Sorry Colin D This customer does not want a tesco, I can not stand them, they have no trading ethics at all, except just rip off of their suppliers, and make you feel you are getting a bargin when you shop but your not.
Reason ,they have money, and no one stands up to them,they ride rough shot over planning laws knowing they rarely get challenged in courts.
Hence you high lighing traders in the loop moaning again, and they are still there trading, fair enough, they are moaning again, but that all they can afford to, as It may be their last time they can get to moan. Plus with the way shropshire council dealt with Oswestry`s supermarket plans, I would be willing to join the moaning traders.
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OK, you don’t like Tesco, then shop elsewhere. The majority of shoppers DO want Tesco, hence their consistent profit making, and full, FREE car parks.
On my last visit to the UK, I wanted a few odds and ends food-wise, a top-up for my Tesco mobile card, a pair of shoes, and a warm coat.
The above were ALL bought from Tesco, Harlescott for far less than I would have paid in the town centre, and, how far would I have needed to walk to get all those items?
The town centre traders were whining when Tesco first opened, and they will still be whining in a few years time.
Tesco provides an excellent choice for the shopper. Free parking, one stop shopping, better prices, the list goes on.
Town centre shopping is, for the best part, a thing of the past. I believe it’s called progress.
Viva la difference.
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Do we really need a bigger Tesco. It’s big enough considering that we have a wide range of stores in the immediate area. We would rather keep the banks in Harlescott, rather than have a bigger shop. I understand that they will be closed part of the planned extension to the store. Whenever i go in they are busy and very much used.
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The planetary economic bubble has burst, every nation is now in spiralling debt to some degree or other, even China is slowing down. This is the future, huge sheds sucking up what little money is left available. I walked through my beloved home town centre of Shrewsbury yesterday and the decline is there for all to see. When even the discount chains are folding isn’t that a portent? So..what to do. Time to get an allotment, just like 1950..only you’ll have to guard it properly this time. Long as everyone knows where the real power is going. Heads down..hold onto hats.
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Tesco is cheaper, parking is free.
Enough said.
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dont worry, the parking wardens have already taken that off us anyway.
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I agree Dan.
What is peoples problems with Tesco – Jealousy of their success, a business is a business end of the day. A place like tesco research and know what their customers want and at acceptable prices they want their items. An extention to the current store is a great idea and will create more jobs. In town shops closing down or losing trade – just think to yourself WHY? ummm prices, faking discusting priced sales to attract customers, maybe your not stocking the IN trade, maybe people are just getting bored of your places. Maybe its the cost of public transport and the rising prices of fuel. Until you know the facts dont braned a company for the success you dont have. Dont you think Tesco have a battle of their own with other traders too. Grow a brain and think – EVERY LITTLE HELPS
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its a shame that the “little” shops will slowly decline. Personaly I prefer tesco because you get great prices and a points card.
not many people have time to go into the towns these days and its much easier to go to a massive store like tesco.
Its a bit like the petrol stations in the olden days, there use to be lots of little ones dotted about the place and they are no longer about because the bigger chains offer cheaper fuel and quicker service. There is not alot that can be done to stop this type of growth, the population grows so the need for bigger stores is greater.
If you ask me the bigger the store the better because then there is more room to get round the place.
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