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Tesco seek planning permission for major changes
TESCO could get a new front entrance if the government planning committee approves the store's latest planning application.
The store in Lake Road, Douglas, has applied (09/0128) to build an enclosed lobby.
Tesco is waiting to hear whether government planners will approve its multimillion-pound expansion plans, which include raising the store's roof to provide the extra height for a 2,000 square metre mezzanine floor.
There would be a customer cafe, two small ground floor extensions and a decked car park outside for 566 vehicles.
Proposed in-store improvements included a new deli counter, wider aisles, better display areas and new lines of products.
Some smaller retailers have expressed fears that such a big supermarket could force them out of business and ultimately give consumers less choice.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Send your comments to newsviews@newsiom.co.im
YOUR COMMENTS
Yes why not,but where is the Petrol Station which was originally part of the plans,did our Government or Shell and Total object ?. There don't appear to many small retailers left that I know of in Douglas,where are they.
EORH
If Tesco are expanding their store hopefully this will replace the grim and crowded warehouse it currently is. Do the expansion plans include expansion of car parking facilities? Tesco would not be seeking to expand its floor space without a commensurate expansion of customer numbers who have to get there by car. If EORH is right about the original plans a petrol station would be very welcome. If it undercut the duopoly pricing of Shell and Total, as has happened in the UK, it would do more than the OFT have ever done to increase fuel price competition. At the same time I do think that expansion at Tesco will create more low level unskilled retail jobs at the expense of more specialised ones in smaller shops on the Island. Overall throughout the British Isles it has been shown that supermarkets reduce employment in the retail sector as a whole. So this expansion is likely to contribute to a net increase in unemployment. Will owners of retail premises in central Douglas reduce rents to help keep retailers in situ or will we see Strand Street become more and more the East Berlin sector of Douglas?
PKK
If they give Tesco's the go ahead for this, then they will have put the final nail in the coffin for Ramsey not to mention all other small business on the island! As someone what lives and works in Ramsey, I see on a daily basis how bad things are getting. There are few retailers left in Ramsey who are still going strong at the moment, but agree to this, and it won't be long before all of the shops are empty and the town that was once was called Royal Ramsey, will be nothing but a ghost town!
ANON
It is interesting how negative the comments are concerning the
expansion of Tesco and the effect on Retailing in Douglas and other
parts of the Island. Firstly, if the addition of a petrol outlet at
Tesco will reduce the high cost of fuel then this must mean that Tesco
are going to bring in and store fuel on their own, as I don't think
that Shell or Total will sell them fuel wholesale to undercut their
own outlets. Why doesn't the Retail sector opposing this development look at the possible reasons why shoppers would go to Tesco rather than shop in the centre of Douglas? It's not all about price. There are other factors. Who enjoys battling along a wind tunnel known as
Strand Street, and Castle Street in the lashing rain, which if not too
heavy, is cleverly channelled into roof rainwater systems which are in
terrible states of repair and deposit copious quantities of water on
shoppers who attempt to look in the windows or dive into the doorway
to enter a retail establishment? All this has to be done whilst
keeping your eyes on the ground to dodge the puddles and drainage
channels under your feet on the undulating modern cobbled surface.
This is why most people don't look up to notice the poor condition of
the buildings above ground level. Does this put the potential
customers in a very relaxed frame of mind and make the retail
experience one of pleasure, encouraging them to spend their hard
earned money in such conditions? Lets face it. What is there to do if the weather is bad? In the UK or other EU countries people visit the shopping malls (or whatever you want to call them) where they can relax and enjoy the shopping experience and browse the windows in warm and dry surroundings. I have not mentioned anything about how the customer should be treated at the point of wanting to buy something, but that is another matter which should be addressed by the outlets competing for the custom. It needs a concerted effort with the participation of all involved to rethink what needs to be done on a larger scale to retain or even attract customers to the area. Finally with regard to the more recent developments of miniscule shops in other town centres, it would appear from the size of the units that they are not expecting to sell too much as there is little space for stock storage.
B HODGSON
Hello I am from Peel but currently living in Sydney, Australia. Here we do bulk goods shopping at supermarkets but get all our fresh food from local grocers, butchers, delis etc which is great for local business but also great for the quality of food we get. There are two main supermarkets which are Coles and Woolworths but neither are a patch on any UK supermarket. The focus is all on fresh food and cooking it yourself which is refreshing and there is certainly no where near the range of frozen and chilled ready meals that are so easy to pick up in the UK.
KERRY
Tesco originally put these plans in earlier this year, why is it taking the government so long. This is really needed and they should pass the plans. The amount of people that use Tesco proves that it is popular and the expansion plans are needed. Stop dragging your heels government and get the plans passed. I hear what ANON is saying but an expansion of Tesco's will not make any difference to out of town. People that shop at Tesco now, will still shop at Tesco because they offer the most choice, people that shop in shops in Ramsey, will still shop at those shops after the expansion. Tesco has been around for a long time now and is very popular, an expansion of it will not change where people shop now, the choice at Tesco means people will always shop there.
CLARE, Onchan
"Royal" Ramsey and Strand Street are in a dire state partly because they've not had investment by govt to make them look even slightly appealing and largely because the cost of buying anything here is often higher or seen to be higher than the internet (there will always be exceptions that can be quoted) or not stocked as well as the internet shops for obvious reasons. Surely having two Shoprites in Ramsey has been more damaging to Ramsey than a single small Tesco's in Douglas? Even the Shoprites in Douglas/Onchan on peoples way home from work to Ramsey are probably as damaging as Tesco. Or are they all exempt because the profits (if there is any) are supposed to stay here? People attacking Tesco's are just jumping on a bandwagon. Essentially, if people want to choose Tesco, Shoprite or the internet to shop then so be it. When the average wage (not allowing the skew of the top earners) is better than across and people don't have to spend as large a proportion of their salary on higher energy costs or travel costs to get off island, then I and others will happily consider paying more for things that we buy. That won't be changing anytime soon, we live on an island. I'd personally much rather buy online than spend any time walking down the depressing mishmash of buildings on Strand Street where a) people walk at snails pace, b) people walk out of shops in front of other people and then proceed at snails pace, c) people are in groups with 4 prams between them stopping suddenly blocking the path or c) have to bypass the groups of obese people waddling around seemingly with nowhere to go and filling up what is essentially quite a narrow path.
RH
'Have to bypass the groups of obese people waddling around seemingly with nowhere to go and filling up what is essentially quite a narrow path.........!!!!!' RH, I am shocked that you make such a comment! The discussion topic is TESCO plans, certainly not a chance to have a moan about your dislikes. Your comment is indeed unfair and hurtful. I myself am obese and certainly dont WADDLE round in the street blocking anyones path. I have as much right to be there as anyone. For the record I also work full time in a respectible position and have very little time to waddle round with nowhere to go! My size or anybody elses is nothing to do with TESCO
SW (annoyed!)
Although I agree that Strand Street and possibly Ramsey could do with a facelift, I suggest that most of the people who use Tescos and want further expansion come from across and 'can't cope' without what is familiar to them! This is also part of the 'need' to go across to shop.
Before any of you say anything about me being a local, sadly I'm not (I wish I could claim that), but I came here because I love the place as it is and to get away from the ever-present and increasing number of supermarkets and shopping malls which are all the same and made all the towns like clones. I have watched, while living in England, the 'decline and fall' of several small shopping areas once these monstrosities were introduced and I would hate to see it happen here.
In addition, like SW I find RH's comments offensive and he, she (or
it) should be reprimanded.
MM
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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