Ludlow Waitrose: Nearly half of town want supermarket

Nearly 1,000 people in Ludlow responded to a poll asking what they would like to see move into the town centre in the place of Budgens supermarket – and the results have flown in the face of recent wisdom.

The "desperate" need for more budget shops in a town that many feel has become "for the relatively wealthy and for visitors" has become a talking point in recent weeks during discussions over controversial plans for an as-yet-unnamed superstore at Rocks Green on the edge of Ludlow.

But now an online survey conducted by Andy Boddington, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North, has found that 40 per cent of the 947 people who responded wanted a Waitrose, followed by 20 per cent plumping for an equally high-end M&S Simply Food store.

Only seven per cent voted for the expected front-runner of a Lidl.

But those in favour of a new Waitrose are set to be disappointed, as the chain has announced it currently has no plans to set up shop in the town.

Budgens, in Tower Street, is still open at present but is under threat of closure and no provider has yet been confirmed for the out-of-town Rocks Green site, so no chain has been confirmed for either site. But in Shrewsbury Lidl and Waitrose have been in a wrangle over the building of stores on neighbouring land near Shrewsbury Football Club, with Lidl given planning permission in November despite an objection from Waitrose that it would harm its proposal.

The issue of supermarkets in Ludlow is equally contentious as there is widespread opposition to the Rocks Green plans. Campaigners have said it could kill town centre trade and the expected closure of Budgens showed there was no need for another supermarket.

Councillor Boddington's poll showed Sainsbury's in third place at 12 per cent, with local independent Harry Tuffins in fifth place at four per cent.

Councillor Boddington said: "Waitrose has won the poll by a large margin. That surprises me. I am really surprised that Lidl didn't do better."

He said he personally thought Waitrose would be good for the town but "several people who commented on my poll think a Waitrose store will kill the independent traders in the town centre".

He said there was also "a view in our town that many of the shops we have are 'not for us and not for the majority', they are for the relatively wealthy and for visitors."

James Armstrong, speaking for Waitrose, said: "It's encouraging to hear that many people would welcome Waitrose to Ludlow, but I'm afraid we are not currently exploring opportunities for new stores beyond those we are already opening this year."