Tesco Does Have The Mart

**bekisman** · 10-Apr-08, 14:19

Hi Folks I've been sitting on this for a while since 27th March/4th April but just had this email in from Douglas Wilson Corporate Affairs Manager, Scotland and Northern Ireland (Tesco)

Dear [Bekisman] "We are issuing a press release today [10th April] so please feel free to post this info on your website."

"to confirm our conversation, we have purchased the Auction Mart site in Thurso.. we are actively pursuing a development on the site and hope to be in a position to discuss this further with local councillors and the wider Thurso community in the near future" regards Doug

Douglas Wilson
Corporate Affairs Manager
Scotland and Northern Ireland

(I asked if this was confidential and he came back with the proviso; "I would appreciate a degree of confidentially for perhaps the next few weeks"..)
Bit of history to show that these big conglomerates are approachable.. I emailed Sir Terry Leahy at Tesco on 27th March and asked if they had purchased the site and were they going to sit on it? (which not a few on the Org thought!) at 16.47 I got a reply from Anna Margot the Chief Executive's Office who said she had forwarded my email onto Nick Gellatly; Corporate Affairs Manager for the Thurso area.

On the 4th April at 11.21 had a phone call from Douglas Wilson, Corporate Affairs Manager, Scotland and Northern Ireland and he told me that yes, they have purchased the Mart site in Thurso, and no, they will not just 'sit' on it, and are building a 30,000 square foot store plus fuel outlet. They are not sure at the moment what to do with the smaller Tesco/Somerfield store but will probably be sublet..
He asked if I would like him to send me a confirmation email I said yes and at 11.55 on the 4th April he sent the one above..

So there you are Tesco has the mart; fact

**dandod** · 10-Apr-08, 14:35

but surely that would take the business away from the wick one so they will probably be making the same amount of money as before.

**fingalmacool** · 10-Apr-08, 15:29

Resistance is futile you will be assimilated,,, Does the Highland Council have no cahoona's at all, it seems that maybe the two are the same, or maybe it should be known as Tesco Council or Tesco Highland. I am going to stick my scranny neck out and say the people of Thurso do not want another Tesco we want an ASDAAAAAAAAAAAAH, IS THAT LOUD ENOUGH.

I feel much better now,,,,i thank you

**riggerboy** · 10-Apr-08, 15:33

Originally Posted by fingalmacool

Resistance is futile you will be assimilated,,, Does the Highland Council have no cahoona's at all, it seems that maybe the two are the same, or maybe it should be known as Tesco Council or Tesco Highland. I am going to stick my scranny neck out and say the people of Thurso do not want another Tesco we want an ASDAAAAAAAAAAAAH, IS THAT LOUD ENOUGH.

I feel much better now,,,,i thank you

yer no getting it ASDA will not be in thurso lol

**Cattach** · 10-Apr-08, 15:34

Originally Posted by bekisman

Hi Folks I've been sitting on this for a while since 27th March/4th April but just had this email in from Douglas Wilson Corporate Affairs Manager, Scotland and Northern Ireland (Tesco)

Dear [Bekisman] "We are issuing a press release today [10th April] so please feel free to post this info on your website."

"to confirm our conversation, we have purchased the Auction Mart site in Thurso.. we are actively pursuing a development on the site and hope to be in a position to discuss this further with local councillors and the wider Thurso community in the near future" regards Doug

Douglas Wilson

Corporate Affairs Manager
Scotland and Northern Ireland

(I asked if this was confidential and he came back with the proviso; "I would appreciate a degree of confidentially for perhaps the next few weeks"..)
Bit of history to show that these big conglomerates are approachable.. I emailed Sir Terry Leahy at Tesco on 27th March and asked if they had purchased the site and were they going to sit on it? (which not a few on the Org thought!) at 16.47 I got a reply from Anna Margot the Chief Executive's Office who said she had forwarded my email onto Nick Gellatly; Corporate Affairs Manager for the Thurso area.

On the 4th April at 11.21 had a phone call from Douglas Wilson, Corporate Affairs Manager, Scotland and Northern Ireland and he told me that yes, they have purchased the Mart site in Thurso, and no, they will not just 'sit' on it, and are building a 30,000 square foot store plus fuel outlet. They are not sure at the moment what to do with the smaller Tesco/Somerfield store but will probably be sublet..
He asked if I would like him to send me a confirmation email I said yes and at 11.55 on the 4th April he sent the one above..

So there you are Tesco has the mart; fact

'30,000 square foot store' you say -
Seems like a big area for selling Feet!!

**fingalmacool** · 10-Apr-08, 15:40

Originally Posted by riggerboy

yer no getting it ASDA will not be in thurso lol

Reason for please, or are you blowing smoke up me kyber

**BIG A** · 10-Apr-08, 15:59

The press release is now out and Tesco do have the Mart Site and hope to Build a 31000 Sq FT Supermarket and Petrol Station on the site.
Thet have concluded missives with Miller Developments .
Douglas Wilson Of Tesco Stated "This Accquisition gives us the opportunity to improve the Tesco Offer to our existing customers in Thurso."

**riggerboy** · 10-Apr-08, 16:08

Originally Posted by fingalmacool

Reason for please, or are you blowing smoke up me kyber

just blowing smoke,
however i dont think adsa will be anytime soon, nor do i think tesco will open in thurso, as you put it they are just blowing smoke, tesco have do this to asda for years, they own a lot of land with outline planning permission but never seem to build,

**COACHMAN** · 10-Apr-08, 17:50

Hopefully Cheaper Petrol if they have a filling station

**zappster** · 10-Apr-08, 18:24

Let Tescos take over the council...at least we might get cheaper council tax !!

**blackcat** · 10-Apr-08, 20:23

Originally Posted by zappster

Let Tescos take over the council...at least we might get cheaper council tax !!

Maybe TESCO could build a new school on the site!

**gollach** · 10-Apr-08, 21:50

Originally Posted by blackcat

Maybe TESCO could build a new school on the site!

Or at least build a pavement on the mart side of Ormlie Road.

**mccaugm** · 10-Apr-08, 22:34

OK cards on the table I shop in Tesco but I DO NOT AGREE with Tesco buying the site. What the hell do they need it for? They already have the monopoly in Wick and Thurso. I would have liked ASDA for a bit of competition. Thurso needs a small Enterprise Park with some national shops...not another Tesco.

**Moira** · 10-Apr-08, 23:17

Originally Posted by blackcat

Maybe TESCO could build a new school on the site!

Primary or Secondary blackcat?

Maybe they will - then again maybe they won't. If they do, given their alleged stranglehold over our dairy farmers, will they provide free milk for all pupils? Maybe not.

Only time, Tesco and bekisman will tell.........

**Bobinovich** · 10-Apr-08, 23:28

Reported this a while back and I'm still sceptical that Tesco will do anything with this site. I reckon that Asda is dead in the water though - they didn't get the site they wanted and either Tesco nipped in there for the mart site or Asda simply weren't interested in it.

Damned shame

**riggerboy** · 11-Apr-08, 08:34

Originally Posted by Bobinovich

Reported this a while back and I'm still sceptical that Tesco will do anything with this site. I reckon that Asda is dead in the water though - they didn't get the site they wanted and either Tesco nipped in there for the mart site or Asda simply weren't interested in it.

Damned shame

thats what i think is going on and have also said it for a while, pity but thats the tesco monster, as for cheaper fuel yes a whole 0.1 of a penny per ltr, thats about a 1/2p on a gallon saving of about 6p on a tank full

**Cattach** · 11-Apr-08, 08:41

Originally Posted by riggerboy

thats what i think is going on and have also said it for a while, pity but thats the tesco monster, as for cheaper fuel yes a whole 0.1 of a penny per ltr, thats about a 1/2p on a gallon saving of about 6p on a tank full

Where do you buy your petrol? Fuel is 5p a litre cheaper in Wick than in Thurso.

I can travel to Wick from Thurso and fill a full tank, shop in the new stores in ick and still be quids in rather than buying fuel in Thurso. And I get a change of coffee shop or a super lunch at Mackay's!

**skimeister** · 11-Apr-08, 09:48

I would summise that they have finally admitted defeat in that size of the Tesco's in Thurso IS too small for what they actually wanted.

My suspicions regarding their intentions are founded then as they got their foot in the door taking over from Somerfields and can now expand as their original intent.

Personally I would prefer Sainsbury's to give Tescos a run for the prices

**riggerboy** · 11-Apr-08, 09:52

Originally Posted by Cattach

Where do you buy your petrol? Fuel is 5p a litre cheaper in Wick than in Thurso.

I can travel to Wick from Thurso and fill a full tank, shop in the new stores in ick and still be quids in rather than buying fuel in Thurso. And I get a change of coffee shop or a super lunch at Mackay's!

even at 5p per litre thats about 22.5p per gallon, say your car tank is about 12 gallon that equates to a saving of £2.70 per 12 gallon, giving your car does 40 miles to the gallon, you are using 1 gallon to go to tesco and back if you live in thurso, that means you have spent about £4.86 (the price of a gallon of petrol )to do a round trip, remove your £2.70 saving leaving you in a deficite of £2.16,
in other words it cost you £2.16 to go to tesco to fill up your tank ???
then of course you go in to tesco to get your weekly shopping and over spend by vast amounts buying all the things you wanted and also all the stuff you didnt want,
work out how much you used to spend on the weekly shop before the £100 loaf shop arrived to what you spend now,

do the math to suit your car, remember your car doesnt do 100 mile to the gallon

**bekisman** · 11-Apr-08, 11:48

Had a couple of Pm's - the reason I went to the 'horses mouth' was that Bobinovitch, who was the first to discover that Millers had sold to Tesco (27-Mar-08, 13:36) quote Bob: "Sorry for being the bringer of bad news folks but I have it, from a very reliable source, that the mart site has been bought from Miller Developments by TESCO"
Which was followed by Big A (27-Mar-08, 14:02): " What Source ? Miller Group have this site listed as for sale as at 14.00 hrs today."
So what was the truth?..

Still like to know what retail outlets are going up over at Wick though, and Riggerboy - think it's down to choice, and not lining the pockets of the rip-off merchants who took me to the cleaners for years before the likes of Tesco came and 'forced' the cost of fuel down to a realistic level. We're out west but still go via Thurso to Wick. Don't forget; "In February 2004, the average price of unleaded petrol was 76.88p per litre. The cheapest was to be found in Thanet, Kent, at an average price of 70.80p, while the most expensive was Thurso in Caithness at an average price of 85.90p." and "in July, 2005 all the garages [in Thurso] charged the same price which was 12p per litre above Inverness prices".
Yet they are still in business; strange that 'aint it?