TRADERS STEP UP FIGHT AGAINST TESCO STORE
TRADERS in Ballyclare have stepped up their fight against a plan by Tesco to build a new superstore on the outskirts of the town.
Representatives of several local businesses were joined by MLAs and councillors at a meeting in the Town Hall last Wednesday to discuss their opposition to the controversial plan.
A committee of traders has now been set up to take forward the campaign against the proposed store.
Plans for the new retail development on the FG Wilson site at Hillhead Road were first submitted by Tesco just over 12 months ago, with a revised scheme being presented to planners for consideration earlier this year.
However, while Tesco claim that public reaction to their proposal has been "very positive", many traders believe that an out of town superstore would be disastrous for the town centre.
Niall McConkey, owner of Woodsides and a member of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA), fears that if the Tesco plan gets the green light Ballyclare will become "a retail ghost town."
"Local traders are not afraid of genuine competition, but when Tesco seek to locate out of town with free car parking, there is no way that any independent retailers could possibly compete.
"We want people to understand that we are not against Tesco. We are against out of town developments which are detrimental to town centres," he told the Times.
"Many traders in the town who have been serving the community for generations surely deserve better. We will be extending our campaign in the weeks to come and will be seeking to make a presentation to Newtownabbey Borough Council in the near future to ask for their support in opposing this application," Mr McConkey added.
Glyn Roberts, NIIRTA Chief Executive, revealed that there had been "a respectable turnout for a first meeting", with around 20 businesses represented.
"This type of completely unsustainable out of town application is threatening the commercial viability of our town and village centres and would result in independent retailers closing and the loss of jobs," he claimed.
The NIIRTA has called on Environment Minister Sammy Wilson to name a date for the publication of a new planning policy which will limit out of town applications by major retailers.
A spokesperson for Tesco said that a new store could create up to 300 full and part-time jobs, claiming that it would "help anchor and extend the town centre and encourage regeneration and investment in the area."
Colin Hampsey, Regional Corporate Affairs Manager for the company, added: "Through Clubcard data we already know that many customers with postcodes in the Ballyclare and surrounding areas are currently shopping with some of our other stores, particularly those in Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey and Antrim. By providing a store in the town, we would hope that this would encourage people in the area to shop locally.
"Keeping these Tesco customers in Ballyclare is an opportunity for local traders to grow their businesses with the potential of attracting additional customers into the town from a wider catchment. Tesco is always happy to work with local traders and the local community to develop appropriate initiatives to encourage our customers to visit other shops in the area."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Newtownabbey
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Heavy rain
Temperature: 3 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
