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

[crayola]

What hotel?

There's no point in bringing back straw men even if they're in the local plan. You will get precisely nowhere by doing that. Just as the Asda for Pennyland supporters did.

To win planning permission for such a large project you need either a clear route or some political tanks to clear the route. Or you need an alternative route. The Asda Pennyland tanks were displaced by some Thurso councillors plus Mr Smith and once damaged were stopped by the reporter. As far as I can see Asda weren't interested in an alternative route for reasons that are beyond me and their powerful supporters didn't have a Plan B. It doesn't surprise me that such a naive plan failed.

[bekisman]

What hotel?

There's no point in bringing back straw men even if they're in the local plan. You will get precisely nowhere by doing that. Just as the Asda for Pennyland supporters did.

To win planning permission for such a large project you need either a clear route or some political tanks to clear the route. Or you need an alternative route. The Asda Pennyland tanks were displaced by some Thurso councillors plus Mr Smith and once damaged were stopped by the reporter. As far as I can see Asda weren't interested in an alternative route for reasons that are beyond me and their powerful supporters didn't have a Plan B. It doesn't surprise me that such a naive plan failed.

Hotel: anyone who wants to go there (see local plan)..

I must contact ASDA and tell 'm they are naive, opps feel a 31st Poll is coming on

[crayola]

You are still blaming the wrong people and trying to fight lost battles.

Asda's Plan A had many obstacles in its path and no Plan B was evident. Making personal comments about me won't get you a shiny new supermarket.

I am sure Asda knew what they were doing but did their supporters?

[Phill]

If Asda wanted a store up here they would have one.

My guess is now they, and tesco, have seen just what the market share is, i.e. not a lot.They have both gone away to reconsider their positions.
I don't think the tills at Wick tesco are ringing as often and as loud as they expected.

Tesco's know that another superstore in Thurso will only detract from Wick's takings without bringing in an awful lot more.

[crayola]

If Asda wanted a store up here they would have one.

I suspect you're right and that's what I was pushing in my previous posts.

If I were in charge of Asda I too would put most of my effort into getting into the Inverness area first.

It's complex issues again.

[Phill]

If I were in charge of Asda I too would put most of my effort into getting into the Inverness area first.

I dunno what Asda/Walmart's objectives are but they are not daft. I also get a little whiff of something iffy with HC & Tesco, but that is an aside, however the Leeds mob will know a lot more about it than us.

There is a lot of game playing going on with the big outfits like these, so they may well just be testing the ground and or ruffling Tesco's feathers.

How they want to achieve their market share could be different from tesco's. Mr T seems to be interested in new build and new locations.

Mr W has very cleverly used the pre planned oversizing of stores to very good effect and increased floor sales area at many of it's existing sites.

It's complex issues again.

Nah, I'm right, simple.

[Mr P Cannop]

asda are trying to get into tain

[Boozeburglar]

ASDA are part of the most foul, evil and corrupt empire in retail history. They care not one jot for their staff nor the people who produce the goods they sell.

Of course you will all happily overlook that to save a few pence?

Caithness already has more supermarkets that it can sustain.

A market war between these giants really would put the final nail in the coffin for many local retailers.

Of course a lot of the loudest voices in the pro lobby are from people who would not know any of the local retailers; those who arrived in Caithness lately and decided they should have all the amenities they had south, with no consideration for the impact on the local traders.

[ShelleyCowie]

asda are trying to get into tain

There is already an Asda in tain Has been for a while.

[Phill]

I'm with crayola here, Tesco never had any intention to build another store up here. And unless there is some massive influx of peeps it isn't going to change.
Wick has been underperforming so they ain't gonna spend more money on another store that will only split the under target revenue they already have.

From Jan '10:

I don't think the tills at Wick tesco are ringing as often and as loud as they expected.
Tesco's know that another superstore in Thurso will only detract from Wick's takings without bringing in an awful lot more.

[crayola]

I think Tesco's main aim was always to keep Asda out of the area. But they will have plans to build a new store if and when they have to. Their current store in Thurso is small and miserable and they will want to improve on that, plus they can take customers away from their rivals by selling petrol and diesel more cheaply than their rivals can. I support Nick's attempt to call their bluff. Disclaimer: I don't shop at Tesco or Asda. I'm a Waitrose and Sainsbury's girl.

[Nick Noble]

Well, perhaps too little too late, but communication has been re-established with Tesco, perhaps they have noticed that virtually every candidate in the forthcoming elections have the issue of the old mart site firmly in their sights. Admittedly it really does not say much, but it is slightly better that the deafening silence that has gone before:


-------- Original Message --------

RE: New Tesco store promised for Thurso, Caithness

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:33:49 +0100

Coats, Gloria

Nick Noble <nick@thurso.org.uk>

Hi Nick,

Thank you for your email. I hope to be able to provide an update on our plans soon.

With regard to the state of the site at the moment, we undertook work before Christmas to replace the fencing around the site which had been damaged by the strong winds, but we plan to undertake further works to upgrade the fencing and tidy the site.

Best regards

Gloria

Gloria Coats

Corporate Affairs Manager

Corporate & Legal Affairs | Tesco plc

[Hen Broon]

I always thought Asda didnt want that site, they wanted to build at Burnside or not atall ? with the big store in wick and already having a store in Thurso, it won't be a high priority