Tesco denies its own representatives’ claims on Shrewsbury expansion plan
Friday 22nd July 2011, 5:00PM BST.
By Russell Roberts
TESCO TODAY rejected claims made by its own representatives that plans to extend its Extra store in Shrewsbury by a third would result in £2.7 million trade being lost from the town centre each year.
The supermarket giant said it did not accept the figure provided by its representatives to town councillors at a meeting last month. Tesco has been carrying out a consultation on the controversial plans.
It hopes to extend its store in Harlescott – just months after the firm won approval to increase its non-grocery space after flouting planning rules for three years.
At a meeting on June 7 attended by representatives from Tesco and its consultants Indigo Public Affairs, and DPP Planning, councillors were told the extension was expected to result in an extra £5.4 million in sales of non-food goods at the store.
However, it was also anticipated there will be a loss of £2.7 million in trade from the town centre.
Detailed
But Tesco today said it “completely rejects” the figure and claims its plans will have only a “minimal impact” on the town centre.
According to “detailed” figures that will form part of the company’s planning application, only 10 per cent of the £4.8 million worth of non-food sales the company anticipates achieving by 2015, would come from Shrewsbury town centre.
This equates to £480,000 per annum and contradicts the £2.7 million figure.
Sophie Akokhia, Tesco corporate affairs manager, said: “We want to reassure people that the impact of our proposed extension on town centre trading would be minimal.
“We completely reject the figure of £2.7 million of non-food business that has appeared in recent media reports. We know that this is a sensitive subject for local businesses and want to be clear our proposed extension would have very little affect on town centre trade.”
Councillor Peter Nutting, leader of the town council, who was present at the meeting in June, today said Tesco’s figures could not be relied on. He said: “We must use our own judgements and not any of the figures Tesco provides.”
No-one was available for comment from Indigo or DPP today. Tesco’s planning application is expected to be submitted to Shropshire Council in the near future.
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Former representatives by now, I’d imagine.
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Yes, a rare chink in Tesco’s, usually very polished, PR armour
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Why take the risk? The present store is big enough.
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Of course they would reject the figures!
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Tesco admit that their plans WILL impact,detrimentally, Shrewsbury town center,so why grant them permission to extend?
The town grew and prospered on the backs of small businesses and can only continue to be a desirable town if that continues.
As shops restaurants pubs etc close because the footfall declines as they chose to visit the free car park out of town shops, the remaining Shrewsbury residents and businesses will see their council taxes rise as the council struggles to collect enough revenue to keep services going.There will be inevitable cuts in funding to many areas and it will all be because Councillors have not got the courage to stand up for their electorate and do what is right,but they still take their pay and allowances
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Just say no! This extension is not wanted and not needed by anyone except Tesco.
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How do you ‘suppose’ the extension is niether wanted or needed by anyone except Tesco when it’s projected sales are counted in millions (£’s) in the next few years?
Why would Tesco invest in something that is niether wanted or needed? That is a typical daft statement!
Like it or not, the Tescos, Asdas, Sainsburys and similar have got it nailed. You can pretty much do an entire food shop, buy a few CD’s, perhaps a dishwasher, a computor, a bicycle, a BBQ, a TV & 5:1, a pair of shoes, swimming trunks, sun glasses & a travel holdall and so much more all from under the same roof. Brilliant!
So town centre shops struggle! What do you expect. It our fault, us the shoppers who welcome convenience (one-stop-shopping) for the day-to-day items who have made these businesses the successes they are and then we whinge when they open on our collective door steps. We’d better make our minds up what it is we want. Me, I want it as easy as possible. Build the superstores big, as big as possible.
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I do not like Tesco, I remember when they used to be in the town centre Shrewsbury near the Market hall and they were not very good then. When they say every little helps! it only helps themselves not the costomer as I think they are expensive and not very good quality. I do not think they need to expand as they are already too greedy and too big. The people who agree to this are no better than tesco and are ruining the town centre, so when these people moan about what is happening to the centre just remember you helped this greedy, full of them selves tesco.
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If Tesco was not very good in the Town Centre, if their quality is poorer than their competitors, if they were too expensive, Tesco would not prosper. I’d be surprised if anyone argued that Tesco had not prospered.
Do you rue the day that unsuccessful grocers fell by the wayside? Kwik-Save,
Somerfield, Pricerite, Safeway, Fine Fare, Hillards etc…
The UK grocery market is very competitive and the consumer benefits from the low prices that result.
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