Traders' 'horror' at Morrisons bid (From Oxford Mail)
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Traders' 'horror' at Morrisons bid
1:30pm Wednesday 2nd May 2012 in Wallingford
Traders' 'horror' at Morrisons bid
Traders in Wallingford are stepping up their opposition to Morrisons’ bid to bring a supermarket to an industrial estate on the edge of the town.
Last week it emerged the supermarket giant was planning a mid-sized supermarket and petrol station on the Hithercroft industrial estate, which could create between 200 to 300 full and part-time jobs.
The bid to bring the store to the town was discussed at the Wallingford in Business meeting at the Ridgeway Centre last Wednesday.
And town councillors who met on Monday agreed to hold a special meeting this Friday at 6.30pm to discuss Morrisons’ proposals.
Wallingford in Business spokesman Elaine Hornsby said the traders’ group would now write to South Oxfordshire District Council to register its opposition, along with town MP Ed Vaizey.
She added: “All the shopkeepers in the town are horrified that Morrisons is considering building a store on the industrial estate.
“Shopping guru Mary Portas is adamant out-of-town retail centres are one of the key causes for the decline of small towns.
“A second supermarket would be good for the town but only if it came into the town centre – and the old Waitrose site is available.
“Wallingford in Business is keen on Morrisons coming to Wallingford but if it is planning to come to the Hithercroft estate then it would rather it did not come at all.”
But town councillor Lynda Atkins said she would support Morrisons coming to the industrial estate.
She said: “Wallingford’s unique selling point is its independents rather than its chains, and I don’t think people shopping at Morrisons on the Hithercroft would necessarily damage trade in the town centre.
“It would bring jobs to the town and it would mean people who currently drive over to Tesco in Didcot would no longer have to do so.
“If Morrisons took the old Waitrose store it could prevent that area of the town from being redeveloped – that building needs to be knocked down and replaced.”
Morrisons will submit a planning application later this year following public consultation.
When asked if the chain had considered opening up the former Waitrose store in the town centre, a spokesman declined to comment.
Store spokesman Ben Copithorne said Morrisons planned to start its formal dialogue with SODC this month.
He added: “The plans are at an early stage and it’s appropriate that we should discuss them with the council before we talk more about what we would like to propose.”
Comments(27)
online_reader
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3:21pm Wed 2 May 12
davyboy
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4:00pm Wed 2 May 12
EricTheRed
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4:02pm Wed 2 May 12
EricTheRed
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4:02pm Wed 2 May 12
EricTheRed
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4:04pm Wed 2 May 12
faatmaan
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5:06pm Wed 2 May 12
Whitto
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5:09pm Wed 2 May 12
belgarion
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5:35pm Wed 2 May 12
Would be interesting to do a survey of Wallingford residents who would welcome a Morrisons on the Hithercroft site. Just talking to people about the proposal I would guess 80 – 90% in favour. Even more interesting is – will the Town Council reflect the views of the people!
iklhik
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8:32pm Wed 2 May 12
They always are out of stock of what I need and the staff there - including the store manager - are rude. Morrisons - fresh food, cheerful staff, YES PLEASE!
LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG
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9:34pm Wed 2 May 12
faatmaan
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9:38pm Wed 2 May 12
aliej
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9:52pm Wed 2 May 12
EMBOX1
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10:16pm Wed 2 May 12
John Lamb
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11:01pm Wed 2 May 12
Andrew:Oxford
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11:02pm Wed 2 May 12
EMBOX1 wrote:They are a bit Northern.
I suspect none of you have been to morrisons.....they are terrible!!
belgarion
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12:33am Thu 3 May 12
EMBOX1 wrote:I suspect you have never been to Morrisons more likely. Their store in Reading knocks spots off both Tesco and Sainsburys in Didcot. Fresh produce for a start but that's because Morrisons have a much better computerised distribution network than either of the other two.
I suspect none of you have been to morrisons.....they are terrible!!
EMBOX1
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7:21am Thu 3 May 12
Morrisons was never clean, the stock was out of date and the staff were chavs. I hate Tesco but Morrisons were awful. Anyway, people will vote with their feet, so build it..
Major Oxford
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8:33am Thu 3 May 12
belgarion
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11:34am Thu 3 May 12
livid99
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3:10pm Thu 3 May 12
EMBOX1 wrote:That probably says more about North Nottingamshire than Morrisons....every Morrisons I have been to are very good. Their fresh fruit, veg and fish is the best of any supermarket. And their petrol is nearly always cheaper than anywhere else.
I lived next to one in north Nottinghamshire for years. It was horrible, and ironically the only other place to shop was a Waitrose, the most northerly branch at the time.
Morrisons was never clean, the stock was out of date and the staff were chavs. I hate Tesco but Morrisons were awful. Anyway, people will vote with their feet, so build it..
I hope Wallingford sees sense and goes ahead with this store
online_reader
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12:37pm Fri 4 May 12
livid99 wrote:Agreed, especially if you're talking about Mansfield, where the closure of the mining industry means working families are bitter, disenfranchised and either unemployed or being supported by someone on minimum wage on a supermarket checkout. The socioeconomics there (and yes, we lived and worked near there too) are in no way comparable with south Oxfordshire.
EMBOX1 wrote:That probably says more about North Nottingamshire than Morrisons....every Morrisons I have been to are very good. Their fresh fruit, veg and fish is the best of any supermarket. And their petrol is nearly always cheaper than anywhere else.
I lived next to one in north Nottinghamshire for years. It was horrible, and ironically the only other place to shop was a Waitrose, the most northerly branch at the time.
Morrisons was never clean, the stock was out of date and the staff were chavs. I hate Tesco but Morrisons were awful. Anyway, people will vote with their feet, so build it..
I hope Wallingford sees sense and goes ahead with this store
Lady Penelopee
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11:55am Tue 8 May 12
EMBOX1 wrote:So how many decades ago was that?
I lived next to one in north Nottinghamshire for years. It was horrible, and ironically the only other place to shop was a Waitrose, the most northerly branch at the time. Morrisons was never clean, the stock was out of date and the staff were chavs. I hate Tesco but Morrisons were awful. Anyway, people will vote with their feet, so build it..
I went into a Morrisons recently, and it was great!
What's wrong with "a bit northern"???
belgarion
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12:07pm Tue 8 May 12
HosbornS6
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1:10pm Tue 8 May 12
belgarion
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1:43pm Tue 8 May 12
HosbornS6 wrote:I think your post is off key. The only person commenting against Morrisons is EMBOX1 whilst the rest of the posts favour Morrisons coming to Wallingford. In fact I would suggest the vast majority of the population of Wallingford would be delighted to get a Morrisons. The only opposition is from a few town centre traders who have their own agenda. So I think charging Wallingford with Nimbyism is somewhat unfair.
Strikes me as a bit of NIMBYism down there in Wallingford. Both me and my husband grew up and went to school in Wallingford and Didcot - In our day there was the ABM and a huge green monstrosity of a Habitat shop at Hithercroft..I am sure Morrisons would be an improvement on that. It would also keep traffic out of the town and preserve the precious heritage. As ex Wallingfordian's exiled in the frozen chavvie North nothing on earth would induce us to move back to such small minded snobbery. Your image of people of the North is totally erroneous. We are cultured, welcoming and friendly and Yorkshire is the most beautiful county in the country.
JWalk
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6:36pm Tue 8 May 12
belgarion wrote:Have you driven around Wallingford lately especially down the Wantage and Reading roads? Nimbyism is in its pride there.
HosbornS6 wrote:I think your post is off key. The only person commenting against Morrisons is EMBOX1 whilst the rest of the posts favour Morrisons coming to Wallingford. In fact I would suggest the vast majority of the population of Wallingford would be delighted to get a Morrisons. The only opposition is from a few town centre traders who have their own agenda. So I think charging Wallingford with Nimbyism is somewhat unfair.
Strikes me as a bit of NIMBYism down there in Wallingford. Both me and my husband grew up and went to school in Wallingford and Didcot - In our day there was the ABM and a huge green monstrosity of a Habitat shop at Hithercroft..I am sure Morrisons would be an improvement on that. It would also keep traffic out of the town and preserve the precious heritage. As ex Wallingfordian's exiled in the frozen chavvie North nothing on earth would induce us to move back to such small minded snobbery. Your image of people of the North is totally erroneous. We are cultured, welcoming and friendly and Yorkshire is the most beautiful county in the country.
Don't get me wrong, i'm all for Morrisons opening up there, perhaps to give the local Tescos and Sainsburys a bloody nose but i'm not holding my breath.
belch52 says...
2:37pm Wed 2 May 12
The proposed site on what is currently the edge of town is ideal. As far as the old Waitrose site is concerned better to redevelop it and the car park as housing.