Work on Tesco extension poised to start in January
Tesco’s planned extension of its South Road supermarket is due to get underway in January, the company confirmed this week.
Plans to increase the sales space of the store by 870m² and to provide an additional 330m² of storage and staff space at the back of the shop were approved by the SIC’s planning board amid howls of protest from other retailing organisations back in December.
Store manager Paul Clelland said this week that the work would commence in early next year and should be completed by late April or early May.
During the 16-week programme of work, he said, there would be “minimal disruption” to customers and he does not anticipate having to close the store at any stage.
Tesco said at the time of the application that it hoped to be able to create up to 39 full and part-time jobs as a result of the extension, but the Lerwick Town Centre Association described the development as “a step too far” and claimed there was the potential for the displacement of more than £8 million-worth of trade and the possible loss of up to 276 jobs.
Alistair Inkster
Just when is the council going to realise that a pound spent in Tesco’s is 90p straight out the sooth mooth? What Shetland needs is local traders competing against each other. This will give diversity and stabillity to the local economy and choice to the shoppers.
Whoopy 39 jobs created but how many will be lost if JW Grays, Hughson Bros and Freezer Foods go to the wall because there are no longer any local stores to buy their wares?
Both Tesco and the Co-op have made a great deal about the fact they have reduced the one of use of carrier bags by half while at the Burra shop we have reduced the use of carrier bags by 80 per cent and by doing so raised nearly a £1,000 for local kids and pensioners groups, all without government incentives.
Richard Millican
Speaking from experience, extension of Lerwick Tesco’s will be a nail in the coffin of Lerwick town. In 1997 Tesco opened a new store in Holyhead, Anglesey, with a fuel station. The result was the demise of Holyhead town centre, the closure of ALL the fuel stations on Holy Island, the closure of clothing chainstores etc etc etc.
In fact management of the “new” Holyhead store were aware of the closure of the Foster Menswear store BEFORE the management and staff of that store were even notified.
There were also a series of broken promises especially where petrol stations were concerned. If I need to drive from Anglesey in the early hours there are NO fuel stations available untill I reach the mainland.
The site of a long established fuel station in Holyhead is now a Jehovah’s Hall, and the other one has been bulldozed. Both these stations operated 24/7 all year. Tesco’s does not.
If Tesco’s development is not restricted Conochies might turn into a Clinton’s Cards!!!
The FSB tried relentlessly in North Wales to restrict Tesco – all to no avail, as any info provided to the Anglesey County Council fell on deaf ears.
Go cautiously.