ASDA, getting it or not?

**dereek** · 24-Mar-08, 10:22

Hi,

What is happening with ADSA?

Are we getting it or not?

Never heard anything for ages...

Derek

**Loch not Lock** · 24-Mar-08, 11:25

From being long odds-on it is looking less likely all due to unfair Caithness Council voting. Six members attended - 5 had 1 vote and one had two votes. Very democratic result 4 - 3 all due to that chap with odd spelt name - I think it's Graeme Storm who cost Thurso millions in loads of ways - jobs, pollution, convenience etc.
He should have been sacked like the Aberdeen Council did with their joke of a leader.

**Splish** · 24-Mar-08, 13:11

I emailed Asda about them coming to Thurso, the reply was not at this moment in time.

**Boozeburglar** · 24-Mar-08, 13:39

You have a Tesco, Co-op and Lidl.

How many supermarkets do you need?

The extra you pay in petrol is maybe an average of £250 a year.

You would save some of that by walking to the shops now and then.

Why not just move to the city, if you want all that a city has?

**balto** · 24-Mar-08, 15:32

sorry to say this but i for one am pleased that asda isnt coming to thurso, aye they go on about all the new jobs they will create but what about the jobs that will be losed because of asda, it would be wick town centre all over again, if people are so keen for these big shop then move to inverness.

**riggerboy** · 24-Mar-08, 15:57

i said all along it was never to be and still stand by it, they were however close. lol

**blackcat** · 24-Mar-08, 16:48

Originally Posted by Loch not Lock

From being long odds-on it is looking less likely all due to unfair Caithness Council voting. Six members attended - 5 had 1 vote and one had two votes. Very democratic result 4 - 3 all due to that chap with odd spelt name - I think it's Graeme Storm who cost Thurso millions in loads of ways - jobs, pollution, convenience etc.
He should have been sacked like the Aberdeen Council did with their joke of a leader.

Was it not Graeme Smith - councilllor for WICK!!

**gollach** · 24-Mar-08, 16:53

Originally Posted by blackcat

Was it not Graeme Smith - councilllor for WICK!!

Wasn't it Aberdeenshire Council and didn't they sack the chairman of the planning committee, not their leader?

**rfr10** · 24-Mar-08, 16:55

Who cares about Asda?! What about this new retail park in Wick? We don't need another big supermarket as much as we need more decent shops!

**gollach** · 24-Mar-08, 17:03

Originally Posted by rfr10

Who cares about Asda?! What about this new retail park in Wick? We don't need another big supermarket as much as we need more decent shops!

Easy seen that you are not one of those making a 40 mile round trip to go to "decent shops" you are talking about.

**Highland Laddie** · 24-Mar-08, 17:08

Originally Posted by gollach

Easy seen that you are not one of those making a 40 mile round trip to go to "decent shops" you are talking about.

Well Golach,
they will still need to make a 40 mile round trip when Asda build in Wick

**rfr10** · 24-Mar-08, 17:14

Originally Posted by Highland Laddie

Well Golach,
they will still need to make a 40 mile round trip when Asda build in Wick

Asda aren't building in Wick are they? Well.. did HEAR that they were taking over Somerfield. Probably another rumour tho.

**dunderheed** · 24-Mar-08, 18:32

oh surprise surprise a thread about shops and someone comes up with that old pish about somerfield being bought by asda or matalan or any other multinational that just happens not to be in caithness at the moment. somerfield is not being sold .

**rfr10** · 24-Mar-08, 18:38

Originally Posted by dunderheed

oh surprise surprise a thread about shops and someone comes up with that old pish about somerfield being bought by asda or matalan or any other multinational that just happens not to be in caithness at the moment. somerfield is not being sold .

Well sorry to have bothered you.

**Loch not Lock** · 24-Mar-08, 20:04

Originally Posted by blackcat

Was it not Graeme Smith - councilllor for WICK!!

That's correct blackcat, sorry. It was grossly unfair vote. Horrible little man doing everything to get Wick back on the map to the detriment of Thurso.

**BIG A** · 24-Mar-08, 20:14

Originally Posted by dunderheed

oh surprise surprise a thread about shops and someone comes up with that old pish about somerfield being bought by asda or matalan or any other multinational that just happens not to be in caithness at the moment. somerfield is not being sold .

Your info is Wrong Somerfield is up for Sale and the CO OP and ASDA are both making bids to buy it.
Somerfield is owned by Apex and a property developer whom wish to sell the company as a whole.
(Source Times online 2 March 08)

**Bobinovich** · 24-Mar-08, 21:51

Ah, but there have been developments since Big A...

The planned £2 billion sale of Somerfield, the supermarket chain, could be dropped after it emerged last night that only one bid had been tabled by a deadline at the end of last week

It is understood that the Coop was the sole retailer to table a full proposal for the business part-owned by Robert Tchenguiz, the property tycoon, ahead of a March 14 cut-off date.

Asda has yet to make an offer, despite the fact that it is believed to have triggered the process by sounding out Somerfield’s owners about a prospective deal last year.

and it continues...

Asda is understood to be interested only in the larger sites within Somerfield’s 955-store portfolio to close the gap on Tesco. Somerfield’s owners want to sell the business only as a whole. Speculation has grown in recent weeks that Asda has been courting potential partners for a carve-up of the business. Somerfield’s estate includes 600 convenience stores, but Asda has insisted that it is not interested in entering that market.

**bekisman** · 24-Mar-08, 22:10

(Sorry Bobinovitch, just noticed!) Anyway bit more, like how come Tesco managed to nab Thurso Somerfields?..

Dunderheed: "oh surprise surprise a thread about shops and someone comes up with that old pish about somerfield being bought by asda or matalan or any other multinational that just happens not to be in caithness at the moment. somerfield is not being sold "

Well it was (is) still for sale (four days ago; March 20th 2008) The Times:

Somerfield's £2bn sale left on the shelf
The planned £2 billion sale of Somerfield, the supermarket chain, could be dropped after it emerged last night that only one bid had been tabled by a deadline at the end of last week. It is understood that the Coop was the sole retailer to table a full proposal for the business part-owned by Robert Tchenguiz, the property tycoon, ahead of a March 14 cut-off date. Asda has yet to make an offer, despite the fact that it is believed to have triggered the process by sounding out Somerfield’s owners about a prospective deal last year. One source close to Somerfield said: “They’re a little bit uncertain about what Asda’s intentions are. If they don’t get the price they want, they will hold on.” Andy Bond, Asda’s chief executive, refused to comment when asked about his group’s intentions yesterday. Asda is understood to be interested only in the larger sites within Somerfield’s 955-store portfolio to close the gap on Tesco. Somerfield’s owners want to sell the business only as a whole. [what about Tesco in Thurso then?] Speculation has grown in recent weeks that Asda has been courting potential partners for a carve-up of the business.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article3587047.ece

**Whitewater** · 25-Mar-08, 01:07

There are no ASDA stores in the highland region, the nearest is in Elgin. Does that not tell you something about the Highland Council. Tescos have them in their back pocket, they seem to be able to open stores whenever and wherever they want.

**gollach** · 25-Mar-08, 01:36

Originally Posted by Whitewater

There are no ASDA stores in the highland region, the nearest is in Elgin. Does that not tell you something about the Highland Council. Tescos have them in their back pocket, they seem to be able to open stores whenever and wherever they want.

It tells us we can all collect Tesco schools vouchers to buy the things the council doesn't fund.