Monday 12 January 2009

Tesco impact - six months later

Here is a cautionary tale few found on the Internet:

"When Tesco recently won planning permission for a new 24 hour store in Burnage only a mile from the large 24 hr Didsbury Tesco so Manchester Friends of the Earth decided this was the perfect opportunity to find out just what impact the ever growing number of supermarkets is having.

In our first visit, one day before the store opened, we found nearly 60 businesses in a half mile stretch providing a very wide range of services that all had different opinions on the new store. Feelings ranged from horror to happiness as some shopkeepers expected more people would walk past and generate business for them.

Just six months on and with the release of High Street 2015, a parliamentary report calling for controls on the supermarkets and the grocery sector, we visited again to see what had changed. There were still the same businesses but none had a positive view of the store. Two traders now thought they would close. Several had found turnover halve since the store opened and one store, California Wines, opposite the new store had closed half of the shop."

It is hoped that those in power will take the time to stop and reflect before making thoughtless decisions!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your never happy are you,we've a big name store coming yet you feel the need to look up crap to try and get people to stop it.

Geoff Dellow said...

I'm always happy not being an Ostrich!

Gladys Hobson said...

I have no doubt that Tesco will come here and people will use it. if folk think it will help other stores I can't see that happening. Once inside with shopping basket, all that is needed (even if fruit, meat or whatever, are dearer), will be put in the basket. The entrepreneurs that have recently extended their businesses in Ulverston will surely be hit. More boarded up shops? More 'here today- gone tomorrow' small businesses?