The first of the NO Tesco in Tenbury posters are starting to appear around town.
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This blog is an eclectic collection of my thoughts and concerns. Some subjects are brought to my attention by others who feel this blog is a good conduit for communication. I am a volunteer for a number of local organisations, but I do NOT write on their behalf. I do not pretend to talk on behalf of any organisation or the community. There are people who share some of my views, and others that do not. If you do not like what you read here, find another blog to read, or better still write your own.
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- Tenbury MP calls for action from Tesco
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"I am not a sheep, I have my own mind. I am fed up with being told what and how to think? Whilst we are still allowed the remnants of free speech, I will speak out."
I think I agree with that.
This Blog is my snapshot of what is happening locally.
Whether you view me as an activist, a mischief maker, a nutter, an irritant, or a recorder of social history probably depends on your position and point of view.
Feel free to browse the content and comment at will, but I will only consider publishing abusive comments about individuals where the author is identified, and reserve the right to contact the person named prior to publication. I may give more leeway about organisations. If you feel that any comment has been published in error please email tenburywells@gmail.com
Twitter me tenburyblog
I think I agree with that.
This Blog is my snapshot of what is happening locally.
Whether you view me as an activist, a mischief maker, a nutter, an irritant, or a recorder of social history probably depends on your position and point of view.
Feel free to browse the content and comment at will, but I will only consider publishing abusive comments about individuals where the author is identified, and reserve the right to contact the person named prior to publication. I may give more leeway about organisations. If you feel that any comment has been published in error please email tenburywells@gmail.com
Twitter me tenburyblog
Thank you Douglas Adams
Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.
Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.
55 comments:
What do you think Mr Bumblebee???
is this campaign a chamber of trade campaign because they do not have no mandate to fight tescos
with the outcome of the vote
bowketts and spar are scared of competition so they can carrying on rippng people off
tesco will be good for tenbury
IF I REMEMBER years ago bowketts used to supply tesco with all their meat at the time MR BEN BOWKETT thought tesco was good for them
If this is a group that really does represent LOCAL people rather than a generic anti-Tesco campaign would the members kindly identify themselves?
I believe the Chamber of Trade would have endorsed the campaign had the vote been appropriate. As the result wasn't conclusive to date they haven't.
Bowketts did supply a major supermarket (not sure which one but you might be right) but the relationship didn't end well.
I don't think being 'anti-Tesco' helps the cause of the group as the planning decision is on planning grounds and not who is applying.
Anyone can object to a planning application, it doesn't matter if they are a competitor, a neighbour or a national pressure group. (but I do wonder who's comments are likely to carry the most weight)
Dont be hoodwinked thinking Tesco are cheap ,if you shop 'smart' Tenbury is cheaper than Tesco .If Tesco do get in please dont moan when all the LOCAL SHOPS have gone and all you have is a Tesco with inflated prices .YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
Tesco's can been cheap, depending on what you buy. If you only buy brand names, then Asda is cheaper, but if you buy their own brand basics Tesco is cheaper. Spar & Bowketts have special offers and if you buy them, great,the trouble is on a shopping trolley full of mixed items they are more expensive. You can argue (as someone did at length on facebook) that Spar sell pampers cheaper than Tesco, but if you buy Tescos own brand they are cheaper.
I have read the comment someone has posted about Bowketts but I feel it strays into the area that could lead to legal problems, so as the comment is anonymous I'm sorry I can't publish it. (Even though I agree with some of it)
What you must remember Tesco have seven different pricing tiers ,which reflect the competition they are up against .When the competition dwindles prices go up ,this will happen in Tenbury without a doubt .Iwould think the Tenbury store would be on the most expensive tier dearer than the Ludlow store for sure .
Tesco will bring a breathe of fresh air to tenbury
WHEN the last application several years ago we were told by the manager of bowketts that tenbury was a thiving little market town and the new store would destroy the town not true empty shops galore if mr spar and mr bowkett succeed in keeping tesco out tenbury will be dead tenbury as got to move with the times. bowketts and brights maybe family run but they lost their identity with nisa and the eutronic centers COME ON TESCO SOONER THE BETTER if bowketts and spar dont like it hard cheddar.
Well a walk though town today appears to show only one shop displaying the poster.
Can it be read that the rest either don't give a hoot either way or are in favour?
I would be interested where you got the seven price tiers information from.
This is what Tesco say (and if you have evidence that it is incorrect I would be interested to hear it)
Fair prices
We understand that customers want low prices, but they also want fair prices. That is why we charge the same prices up and down the country. We sell our products on the basis of a national price list available for all to see on our website. Even in the few locations that are unable to support more than one supermarket, where we are ‘the only supermarket in a town’, we continue to operate on the basis of our national price list.
Prices in smaller stores
Our prices are a little higher in some of our town centre and neighbourhood stores because costs are higher there. Stores in town centres are typically smaller and have higher overhead costs (mainly rents and rates) per square foot of selling space than those outside the centre. Higher overhead costs are spread over a smaller volume of sales, and can only be recouped by charging prices that are, on average, higher (prices are on average 2-3% higher in our Express stores and in a few of our Metro stores than in our larger stores on the edge or outside town centres). We believe it would be unfair to use our big stores to subsidise the prices in our smaller stores, so we don’t do it. This way everyone gets a fair deal.
Somebody needs their eyes tested ,at least 7 shops have got it on there windows .
I have been trying to sit on the fence until I know all the facts but it is getting very uncomfortable :) First the MHDC local plan says that the Auction Yard site should be developed for commercial purposes; however it specifically states NOT convenience/food. So Tescos are being very arrogant to apply for a food store never the less. They say that it will be 20,000 square feet (you can ignore all that they say about it being x ‘net sales’, square feet, that is just bluster trying to confuse you and me). It will be 20K square feet gross, a building that is bigger than the Co-op (in Bromyard Road), Bowketts and Spar combined! Tesco say that there will be ‘180 full and part time jobs’. They are careful not to put in print the split between full and part time so I am hoping that they might do so in their written submission as that number just does not add up with the sales figures that they are indicating. They also do not say ‘additional jobs’ as there will be jobs lost from the businesses that go bust – but that is not their problem is it? So this is tant amount to a lie! They are allowing people to ‘assume’ that their prices will be lower than e.g. Bowketts (NISA), Co-op and Spar. They do not have to put this in their planning application however Tescos have six ‘Brands’: Hyper, Super, Tesco, Local and Express and the new Tesco Eco of which this would be their second store. Each brand, and in fact in each location, has its own pricing policy so e.g. the two Tescos in Hereford are currently priced lower due to the recent advent of ASDA. Tesco in Ludlow has higher average pricing (I guess due to the area being richer). So I believe that we can expect that prices in a Tenbury store would be higher than those – i.e. not as competitive as Hereford or Kidderminster or even maybe Ludlow where they have competition. But they allow you to assume they will be cheaper – so this is very near to a lie as well. We will have to wait for the other info about the transport (parking, lorries etc.), the river, the flood plain etc however as Judge Judy always says - if you have lied once (even if it is only a half truth that suits you) then I cannot believe another thing that you say. After all this is said and done the Auction Yard site should be developed/improved. I believe that the town should work with Will Chase to develop it so that he gets back his investment, with a decent return, and the site is developed so as to bring the maximum benefit to and as the town wishes.
Either way 7 isn't a huge number, hell there must be 6 or 7 empty store fronts presently in the town, and all before Tesco lay brick number 1.....
Mr Fence Sitter (Yes it does get uncomfortable after a while) I am interested in your comments about the Ludlow store being more expensive than Hereford. Do you have any examples of products that I can check as this clearly appears to differ from Tesco's own policy.
Do you know the exact wording of the MHDC policy (convenience food bit) Are they trying to exclude food retailers or McDonalds?
I really hope that someone can come up with an idea that everyone likes and will give Chase LLP the same sort of return. The only ones I can think of is a food store or housing.
I'm all for fair competition but not for monopolies. For every £8 spent in this sector then £1 goes to Tescos. Our local 24 hr Tesco store is now revamping its dairy and frozen food sections. The Iceland store in our high street know that they won't be able to compete with their new layout and pricing structure, will they have a future? For one company to have so much buying power is dangerous in the extreme, and The Government's Competition Comission revealed that Tesco pay their suppliers nearly 4% less than the average paid by the other companies. How can Farmers be expected to sell their produce for less than it has cost to grow? In our University district a Tesco Extra has just opened - despite petitions from the public due to problems with traffic flow, and based on other planning applications being turned down. The consequence is that the local corner shops are now closing and Tescos can dictate prices as there is no competition, and what do we do when they put the prices up?
Tesco pretends to be the shoppers friend but is guilty of many sharp practices including putting up the price of products for a short while only to bring them down on "special offer" to the same price they were before.
They are really trying to create a monopoly situation in many areas so they can charge what they like.
Tesco are the most avaricous of all the major supermarket chains and this will give them even more power to rip off the public.
Have you noticed how many of the "special offers" are always out of stock. when you go for them?
A lot is said about Tesco killing Town Centres but when I drove through Ledbury tonight I counted 1 empty shop, but saw plenty of independent shops such as butchers, book shop, electrical shop, bakers, a spar etc. The Tesco in Ledbury is an identical size to the proposed Tenbury store and has been there a number of years. If imminent death is what faces Tenbury, how did Ledbury escape?
I've noticed how many special offers in Bowketts are out of stock.
No empty shops in Cleobury and no major supermarket chains
Ledbury population 10000 plus Tenbury 5000
Same size store=unhealthy competition!!
What a pity we can't bring back markets to Tenbury, instead of a massive multi-national. After all, we are meant to be a market town. It would be fun to have our markets back and develop the area for small market stalls or shops of local produce, hand crafts etc.
The sad fact is there appears to be little appetite for this amongst the shopping public. The WI market seems to do well, and the annual food fair also goes from strength to strength but the traditional markets continue to decline. Now that there are fewer traditional 'housewives' with time to shop along the high street, the remainder of shoppers are those with little or no disposable income, or the 'grey' shopper who may have the money but not the need to buy in sufficient volume to make the enterprise economic. The likes of Tesco are only successful because people like to shop there.
"at least 7 shops have got it on there windows"
7 out of 120. Result!
There is more than seven ,they are all over Tenbury
The problem with markets is their limited selling hours. Fine if you don't work or work in the town but that's not a viable customer base to set up stalls every day.
I stand corrected the posters are in 8 shops and have been flyposted around the cattlemarket site.
Yep, saw the fly posted ones today.
A tad unsporting posting them there, if I were the land owner I'd pull them down and put the fences back up until a decision is made.
Anyone else think the campaign has shot itself it the foot? Yes I know it's against Tesco but Tesno in that font and colour just reads as Tesco it may as well say Yesco for anyone passing by and not stopping to read it.
Also (apols for the multi point post) what counts as a "vehicle movement"? 5000 extra sounds a lot, and i suppose it's meant to, but if a movement is a change in direction or speed you can quite easily make 50 just driving through town.
I haven't yet read the Tenbury traffic report (is there one?) but the ones I have read for other town usually show that the additional traffic attracted into town to visit the new store, is off-set by the reduction in traffic leaving town to visit Ludlow/Kidderminster/ Leominster/Bromyard etc.
The additional HGV traffic is negligible as a percentage of the current HGV traffic.
Upwards of a 100 cars a day park on the old cattle market now, (some of them all day) so even the increase in turn in/out traffic will only increase marginally.
The biggest impact will be where is Tenbury going to find an additional 50-100 car parking spaces to off-set the 'unofficial' ones that it is loosing.
I'll have to get my push bike out if it goes through.
Pretty sight it ain't ;-)
We will not be shopping in any of the shops that display a TESNO sign.
Say YESCO!!
Quote - "The biggest impact will be where is Tenbury going to find an additional 50-100 car parking spaces to off-set the 'unofficial' ones that it is loosing."
---
My suggestion is to make more use of the MHDC car park. I would suggest making the car park free, and charge 10p for half an hour (as in Ludlow) to park on the street. That way you will encourage use of the car park (which is usually empty) and help clear the clutter and congestion on the street
To the person who wont shop in a shop displaying the TesNO poster ,you probably dont shop in Tenbury anyway so good riddance i say !!!
Once upon a time I would have agreed with you. I have now changed my mind.
The "free" car park is often full by 9 which leaves me to believe it is used by people who work in town. If the other car park was free then human nature suggests that car park would full up first. Malvern do occasionally enforce in their carpark but none can in the street (except the police on certain occasions)
I think that a good turnover of high street parking is essential to a shopping center such as Tenbury. This is why I get perplexed why some traders park outside their shop all day. I also wish there was a way of stopping the residents of the flats parking on the street all day (although I do have some sympathy as where else should they park)
In reality we just need more parking spaces.
You won't have to boycott many shops. (but the Post Office might be a problem)
Wow, only just seen this thread.. Much discussions - no bad thing at all..
Re the 'TesNo' campaign.. Seems that it's got local people starting to take notice of the issue[s] though as there's much resultant discussion/comments [both 'for' and 'against']. Looks like part of it's being there is paying dividends - the profile of the 'No' campaign is clearly already raised..
I doubt the "yes" campaign will stick its head over the parapet, at least publicly.
Mr Longbeard - exactly why I posted the YESCO post.
To the person who says good riddance as I don't shop in Tenbury - actually, I do shop in Tenbury as much as I can. I also like to share my custom around shops that are in competition with each other. I live locally, and care a great deal for this Town.
I suppose you think it's better to keep the eyesore, with rubbish strewn everywhere and rats running round, and I suppose you think it's better that half of Tenbury shop in other Towns - That's good for Tenbury is it?
I would be interested to see how many shops would display a Yes poster - not many seem to be displaying the No posters
I think there are actually four camps (at least)
1. No Tesco
2. Yes Tesco
3. Yes Tesco (or any major supermarket) but don't like this plan
4. Don't care.
I know a lot of people in camp 3.
Mmmnn. I think I fall into "No Tesco" but I would like to see the land developed so it benefits the local community in a blended way [band 1.5?] in accordance with the MHDC plan [quoted below]?.. I don't want to see the place preserved in aspic though and I do think Tenbury should move forward.
"MHDC Plan... the Auction Yard site should be developed for commercial purposes; however it specifically states NOT convenience/food.."
There are many precedents where towns have re-developed similar brownfield land and I think part of these discussions should be proactive and to explore some of the other possible uses of the land rather than default to a big corporate supermarket solution. It's not straightforward though as I understand the owner of the land wants to maximise their investment - logical, but surely it's land in the centre of a community and so should be developed to broadly benefit that community..? This and other local blogs suggest that the Tenbury public are beginning to take an interest in this..
Two questions:
Do you know the exact wording of the MHDC policy (convenience food bit) Are they trying to exclude food retailers or McDonalds?
If not a major retailer, where would the money come from?
My view is that however desirable other uses may be, the reality is that only a company like Tesco is likely to be able to provide the level of investment that is required to redevelop this site. I’ve racked by brains (and I have long experience of trying to find alternative uses for redundant sites) . . . I can think of no other use where the investment needed could be justified within any realistic timeframe.
Take your point Ian, I can see the logic in what you say.. If at the end of the day we're faced with that sort of choice though [personally I don't think we're there yet..] then I'd much prefer to see a comparatively fairer medium-sized retailer such as the Co-Operative. According to it's policies and details online, it appears to value it's staff much more than Tesco.. It also appears to have much more effective ethics policies than Tesco too [much criticised for paying workers in Africa the absolute minimum wage as opposed to a 'living wage']. As an organisation it apparently grows much of the food for it's own stores too with it's 'Grown by Us' policy - which includes food more local to us in Tenbury such as cider apples.
Having said all that I still believe any such retail development of the size Tesco are proposing would still impact both hugely and negatively on the highstreet in Tenbury. This both in terms of the existing local shops not being able to compete as they can't discount to the same level as they don't have it's buying-power and the various potential issues caused by it's Artic' lorries squeezing through Tenbury's streets.
To the person who said they won't shop in stores with the Tesno poster.
I find that rather childish and pathetic that a little would stop. You walking through the door. Just goes to show how little you think of the local businesses.
Just popping my proactive idea hat on.. I'm thinking 'brownfield land' next to a swift river..
Has anyone considered some or part of the Cattle Market site for Micro Hydro generation of power? It seems to be very vogue at the moment with various Govt subsidies associated [that haven't been axed as far as I can see].. This quote comes from a Guardian article from March 2010:
"Under the "feed-in tariff" scheme, which comes in at the beginning of April[2010], hydropower schemes could qualify for up to 20p for every kilowatt hour of hydroelectricity produced.
[As a small scale example] A medium-sized scheme costing £100,000 to £150,000 to set up and providing enough electricity to power 32 homes, could receive around £25,000 a year in subsidies, the Environment Agency estimates."
I know that micro generation of power has been suggested in Tenbury in the past. As I recall it was proposed site/proximity to housing/emissions that were the big issues - not the idea of micro power generation itself.. Micro hydro power generation wouldn't give out any emissions at all I'd guess - just utilise the continuous flow of the River Teme.
Just throwing it out there.. I'd guess that it could mean cheaper electricity for some or maybe even all of Tenbury depending on the scale of any development.. If development was grant-funded it could also possibly have re-development of the larger site/context built in too maybe?
Links:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/08/environment-agency-hydropower-schemes
http://www.greensettle.org.uk/hydro/thescheme.html
You are not the first to suggest this. I can't remember what the issues were now, but it wasn't feasible (at this location).
As I say, just throwing it out there.. I'd be interested in seeing any feasibility study done on the site though with this in mind.. If it were done a while back the willingness/support/funding opps for these sorts of schemes may have evolved somewhat..
A recent YouGov poll suggests there is a widespread uneasiness about the power of the multiples particularly the biggest of them all.It found that 43%of respondents nationally feel that Tesco is "too powerful",pushes down prices for producers and drives out competition from smaller shops ,with almost half 47% of Londoners and consumers in the North of England 48% saying they thought it put smaller shops out of buisness. Resistance increases with age , too;some 48% of over-55s consider the supermarket giant to be 'a bad influence on Britain today '. The key now is to harness that dissatisfacation as the protestors in Stokes Croft have. By resisting the multiples they have reminded local residents of all the things that make their area special - and foremost among those are the individual and irreplaceable shops.Thats something that any stores faced with a giant on the doorstep will want to repeat.COME ON TENBURY WE CAN DO IT!!!!
Apropos the (minority?) of shops displaying the Tesno posters . . . it’s worth remembering that naked self-interest isn't necessarily the same as the best interests of Tenbury Wells.
Armed with civic pride, determination and a large quantity of notepaper, the inhabitants of a small Yorkshire town have seen off Britain's biggest retailer, Tesco.
The chain withdrew a planning application this week for a 5,800 square metre superstore in Holmfirth, best known as the setting for the BBC TV series Last of the Summer Wine. Tesco's retreat represents a victory for residents who had feared siting a large supermarket on the town's outskirts would harm its character, environment, independent traders and tourism.
Tesco announced its plan to build an "environmental" energy-efficient store designed to blend in to the landscape on the site of a disused garage last December. It argued that Holmfirth needed a new supermarket to add to its small Co-op, saying that eight out of 10 residents shopped outside the town and a silent majority wanted the store.
Campaigners acknowledged the need for some commercial rejuvenation of the historic town, which borders the Peak District National Park, but claimed a large Tesco would kill off its three bakers, butcher and greengrocer and fill its centre with charity shops.
They mobilised opinion with three public meetings and a Keep Holmfirth Special website, winning the support of local MP Kali Mountford and the conservation body English Heritage.
Concerned residents sent 1,200 letters of objection to Kirklees Council. Eighty-two responses were received in favour. Kirklees had been due to decide the plan next week, but on Tuesday Tesco withdraw its application.
Margaret Dale, a resident and member of Keep Holmfirth Special, said the decision had been greeted with "jubilation" by campaigners. "We know there's work to be done in Holmfirth. We're not wrapping it in aspic but this massive threat to the town has gone away," she said.
Around 4 per cent of Holmfirth's 28,000 residents had objected to Tesco. Ms Dale said: "We have been on the streets and some people were saying 'I want a store' but the vast majority said it would devastate the town."
Andrew Bray, the proprietor of Andrew's Greengrocers, complained: "These large supermarkets opening up all over the country are strangling rural life and diversity. You get cloned towns and cloned food – it's all the same."
Jennifer Duncan, Tesco's corporate affairs manager, explained the £59bn-a-year store chain wanted to hone its proposal, which would have created 360 jobs. She said: "We remain committed to our proposed investment in Holmfirth and all the benefits this will bring. We have made good progress in our discussions with Kirklees Council but feel more time is needed to address some of the details of the application."
Holmfirth joins a small band of communities who have thwarted Tesco's plans for new stores, among them Sheringham in Norfolk, Ilkley in West Yorkshire and Alton in Hampshire.
However Tesco is a steely adversary and frequently re-submits applications until it succeeds, according to the Tescopoly campaign website. Its spokesperson Helen Rimmer, a Friends of the Earth campaigner, said: "This is another great example of a community fighting back against the Tesco takeover.
"Holmfirth residents organised an excellent campaign, challenging Tesco on every aspect of its application and lodging over 1,000 objections. But the fight is not over yet, Tesco have a history of coming back even when they're not wanted."
Tesco has increased the amount of space it uses for non-food products at its Shrewsbury superstore for a second time despite already being in breach of planning conditions, campaigners claimed today.
The Harlescott store was initially approved with the condition that it used no more than 32 per cent of its floor space be used for so-called “comparison goods”, such as clothing, footwear and household goods.
But a Shrewsbury resident reported last year that Tesco was in breach of this condition and filed a complaint with Shropshire Council. Late last year the store applied for retrospective permission for a 300sq metre increase in floor space used for comparison goods.
In February, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England conducted its own assessment and found Tesco to have increased the proportion of floor space dedicated to comparison goods to 41 per cent – nine per cent more than originally allowed under the Secretary of State’s condition.
After the most recent planning deferral in April, the CPRE found another aisle had been converted to comparison goods – a possible 43 per cent.
Dr Alan Shrank, of Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents’ Association, said: “It is disgraceful that ever since Tesco Extra opened in April 2007 it has blatantly ignored the planning condition at the expense of other traders.”
Selby Martin, vice-president of Shropshire CPRE, said: “We believe that Tesco’s should abide strictly by the conditions imposed by the Secretary of State.”
Dr Maxwell Winchester, councillor for the Quarry and Coton Hill ward, said he was disappointed in Tesco.
Jumping back quite a few comment about the CoOp. I was amazed that in Bromyard, close the the heart of the Strawberry growing region and at the height of the season, they were selling Strawberries from Holland!
Their current shop slogan is "Good for everyone". I presume that must also now include the Dutch. Very inclusive!
Bloggers might want to listen to the boss of Sainsbury's speaking today on Radio 4's You & Yours about the impact of supermarkets on existing traders. Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00t18bh.
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