Another day, another supermarket. Today we report on Sainsbury’s plan to open a new store at Templars Retail Park.

The supermarket giant is certainly beginning to get a stranglehold on the city.

Recently, it has opened stores at the Plain, in Cowley Road, and is expanding its Heyford Hill store.

Many bemoan the creeping expansion of chain stores on our communities.

Independent stores struggle to cope with the competition and prices on the shelves.

They offer convenience. But, most importantly, with new and expanding stores, they offer jobs.

And that cannot be a bad thing.

It seems odd Sainsbury’s would want to develop a new shop as it shells out on a major revamp at Heyford Hill.

But Asda has also just moved into the city and Tesco’s expansion plans at Abingdon Road and Marston Road have been well documented.

So, we must decide what the balance should be.

These firms are offering work at a very lean time.

It would be foolish to ignore the positives these companies bring.

As with anything, it is all about the balance.