Tesco dancing on Asda's grave at the Mart in Thurso?

[Stefan]

Ha, that's exactly what they are doing here.
Part of their plannning application is to rip the old site down (it's not old though...) and build housing. Now thats very unlikely to be granted in the next 10 years or so... as the local plan doesn't allow for such changes.

If they really wanted to build on the new site they could just rent out the old site to a company that doesn't belong to the competition, like a storage warehouse type thing or something like that.

[crayola]

I found this on the Highland Council's Weekly Planning Applications list....

Thurso

Ward-02

Ref Number      08/00494/REMCA       Application Type   Approval of Reserved Matters

Validation Date 13/11/2008           Grid Reference     311157 967763

Description of Works       Erection of retail store,

Location of Works          Thurso Auction Mart, Ormlie Road, Thurso, Highland, ,

Community Council          Thurso Community Council

Applicant Name             Santon Retail Limited

Applicant Address          Tesco Stores Limited, Per Agent

Case Officer               Iain Ewart

                           (01955) 607757

                           [email protected]

I don't know what the outcome was and I haven't been able to find anything more recent on the web.

[bekisman]

Seems this Tesco thread might keep going - must admit wondered when they would start the building work, but present economic climate ain't that good at the moment.. just a refresh from last year- obviously we all now know Tesco got the site, so time will tell when they eventually start..

10-Apr-08, 14:19
Tesco Does Have The Mart Hi Folks I've been sitting on this for a while since 27th March/4th April 08 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 [the] 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 08 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..