Asda Planning Passed

[Donald]

Interesting to see local councillors being over-ruled by their masters in Inverness. Looking at how local shopkeepers struggle in the Highland capital does not make me think Highland Council knows best.

The case against ASDA is very strong. No-one can pretend that it will be good for Thurso. Cheap food but at too high a price.

All ASDA care about is market share. If they make a profit in Thurso, well that's okay but really this is all about Tesco and ASDA trying to be the number one. If the local food retail market is wiped out they won't care. If local shops go to the wall, they won't care. When we moan about the lack of variety and good quality shops, they won't care.

Sad really. Of course they could do what happens in Ireland where the supermarkets are forced to provide an arcade of shops for local businesses at reasonable rents. But, as I say, ASDA don't care.

And that's before we even start on the arguements of food miles, standards of employment and exploitation of farmers in the developing world.

There are loads of websites with info on all of this. see www.tescopoly.com as an example of this.

Don't suppose any of this will change anyone's mind but makes me feel better getting it off my chest

[henry20]

If the local food retail market is wiped out they won't care.

I would have to disagree Donald - if the butchers & bakers can survive competing against Co-Op & Somerfield at the moment, then Asda & Tesco will make little difference. Anyone that enjoys quality meat knows that the butchers meat is of much higher standard than the packaged meat at the supermarkets.

I very rarely use a bakers - nor do I buy baking from the supermarkets, but on the rare occassions that I have, the bakers win every time.

If they keep their standards up, they should have no worries! Some people will always go for cost over quality, but not always. The people who currently support the local butchers will still do so. Personally, I use both and will continue to do so.

Technically, this has nothing to do with whether Asda care or not, but it doesn't have to be the end for local retailers.

[Donald]

Henry20, I don't think it will be the end for local retailers either. There will always be people like myself who only shop in supermarkets when there is no other option. Equally some people only want a loaf of bread so again are less likely to go the supermarket.

The point is that as money is not spent on the High Street then new shops that might have opened won't. Those that are there will struggle and the potential to create a thriving local centre is lost.

The more general point about ASDA is that they are not local. Any profits they make are taken out of the local community and their main concern is their shareholders in America not the needs of the local community.

Of course the sad truth is that how we spend our money makes a difference and if we choose not to shop locally then local shops will close. And of course you can't force people to shop in one place rather than another. But it's not an even playing field. ASDA have cheap rates because they are not in the centre, then gain huge economies of scale and of course they don't even have to make a profit. How can local businesses compete with that?

Donald.

[bigpete]

Interesting to see local councillors being over-ruled by their masters in Inverness. Looking at how local shopkeepers struggle in the Highland capital does not make me think Highland Council knows best.
[No, local Councillors had a split vote which was decided by a Wick Councillor - Smith -who voted his opposition to ASDA because it was against the 'Local Plan' but perversely voted FOR Tesco when that too was against the 'Local Plan'. 'Shopkeepers Struggle'? take for example a look at Souters and note large number of staff, "whoops it's 1pm time to close, back at 2pm", my wife and I have been ushered out just as we were about to purchase, have they never heard of split lunchtimes?, wonder how much they loose as it's when most of the other shop-workers have their lunch ]

The case against ASDA is very strong. No-one can pretend that it will be good for Thurso. Cheap food but at too high a price. [not good for Thurso? so 3,000 of us are wrong?, are you against cheap food? I'd rather have a 20,000 line selection than the present 3,000 with co-op/Somerfield. I - along with great numbers of other folk, regularly go south for shopping at Tesco/Morrisons, it's variety and price plus freshness, Somerfields is terrible for it's rotten fruit and vegetable, I've complained a number of times to the manager and nothing changes, what can he do about it? Folk knock Lidl but yesterday I purchased a hand of Fyffe bananas there at 49p; Somerfield (unknown brand) £1.38 a hand. Have you noticed how things have changed in Somerfield? Suddenly they realize that another store is coming and they had better buck up their ideas, which is something that a lot of stores could do in Thurso. My wife wanted a certain skein of wool, the particular shop did not have it; ran out, said they would order, three weeks later still not in, so on a regular trip to Inverness got it there. For FAR too long have the shops in Thurso and Wick just given mediocre service, with "why bother this lot ain't got anywhere else to go" - any wonder £millions get spent in Inverness?]

All ASDA care about is market share. If they make a profit in Thurso, well that's okay but really this is all about Tesco and ASDA trying to be the number one. [like any other business] If the local food retail market is wiped out they won't care. If local shops go to the wall, they won't care. When we moan about the lack of variety and good quality shops, they won't care. [why the heck should they, if a good service is NOT provided businesses will go to the wall]

Sad really. Of course they could do what happens in Ireland where the supermarkets are forced to provide an arcade of shops for local businesses at reasonable rents. But, as I say, ASDA don't care And that's before we even start on the arguements of food miles, standards of employment [what?] and exploitation of farmers in the developing world. [don't forget the new jobs ASDA will create, pay cheques to spend in the locality]

The point is that as money is not spent on the High Street then new shops that might have opened won't. Those that are there will struggle and the potential to create a thriving local centre is lost. [Thurso/Wick a 'thriving local centre', looked around lately?]

The more general point about ASDA is that they are not local. Any profits they make are taken out of the local community [as with Somerfield's, Tesco's, Waitrose, Morrisons, Sainsbury's etc] and their main concern is their shareholders in America not the needs of the local community. [what supermarket does?]

Of course the sad truth is that how we spend our money makes a difference and if we choose not to shop locally then local shops will close. [good service reasonable times, good value - it's not a God-given right for local shops to be supported, come what may] And of course you can't force people to shop in one place rather than another. But it's not an even playing field. ASDA have cheap rates because they are not in the centre, then gain huge economies of scale and of course they don't even have to make a profit. How can local businesses compete with that? [have you ever thought that once upon a time there was one shop in Thurso, then another one opened "heaven forbid, we'll go out of business" then yet another one; "heaven forbid, we'll go out of business" and it goes on it's almost natural progression, those with effort will survive. We're in the Accommodation business and it embarrasses us when more cosmopolitan folk express shock "what, they close for lunch up here!"? or "what, Thurso actually turned down a large Supermarket"!? It's 2006 not 1806!
.

[thebigman]

Even then, I do my majority of shopping in a big Tesco shop in Inverness.

I'd be interested to know why folk would travel all the way to Inverness to shop for foodstuff? I can't see how there is not enough available locally.

[dragonfly]

I was down yesterday, granted not just for foodstuffs but as a working Mum (whose husband works away from home) I try to feed the family on homemade food but there are times when I have to work late and find myself coming home and rummaging in the freezer for something I can just throw in.

Predominately the choice of frozen food aisles in Caithness extends to burgers, pizzas and fish fingers - foods which I do not buy at all - no family size lasagnes/pasta type dishes or cottage pies, very little choice in vegitarian meals. Also, impossible to find 15kg bags of dog food under £20. Those are my reasons for choosing Inverness/Tesco