ASDA bit more info

[bekisman]

Not sure if this has already been on the forum, but it's the final burble before they decide:


http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2925 (http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2925)

[pentlander]

If all this trade is being lost from Thurso to the benefit of Wick can someone explain to me why Wick High Street is a ghost town?

[Tristan]

Recent shops may have accelerated things but the Wick High street has been in slow decline for a number of years now.

[pentlander]

Recent shops may have accelerated things but the Wick High street has been in slow decline for a number of years now.
So the argument about the money being lost from Thurso to Wick is bogus. The spend has not gone to Wick but into the Tescos' security van and driven South. How has this benefitted the local economy?

[brandy]

living in wick.. and down the town all the time.. have not noticed that there was a massive decline of people on the streets.
in fact, ive never been down the town when there was no one about and everytime im in wetherspoons always seems to be peeps around..

[pentlander]

living in wick.. and down the town all the time.. have not noticed that there was a massive decline of people on the streets.
in fact, ive never been down the town when there was no one about and everytime im in wetherspoons always seems to be peeps around..
There may be people in the pub but not shoppers.

[orkneylass]

So the argument about the money being lost from Thurso to Wick is bogus. The spend has not gone to Wick but into the Tescos' security van and driven South. How has this benefitted the local economy?

Does Tesco refuse to employ local people then? I can't help wondering how they staff such a big shop. And is there policy different to that of Homebase, Asda, New look or Superdrug????

[Tristan]

So the argument about the money being lost from Thurso to Wick is bogus. The spend has not gone to Wick but into the Tescos' security van and driven South. How has this benefitted the local economy?


I am sure money has gone to Tescos. I think the argument is that there are now more shoppers in Wick because of the Tesco draw so in theory more money may be spent in Wick shops. It may work and it may not. A lot would depend on what is on offer.
If people in Thurso have spent almost an hour to go in and out of Wick it is doubtful they will go for and extra look around and shop in Thurso. They are more likely to have a nose around and a shop in Wick.
I never found Tescos that much cheaper than elsewhere but I liked the choice and selection that Tescos offers. I remember in the days of Safeway there was always a poor choice of fruit and veg. I understood that, smaller population, smaller store, stock some variety can't stock it all etc. What I never understood was how much poorer the quality of the fruit and veg was compared to the Safeway in Inverness 108 miles away.
The other supermarkets that have come and gone have also been of variable quality and quantity.

PS before you bring up the shop local theme, those items I could buy beef, lamb, fish, eggs, strawberries (milk when it was available) I bought locally - nothing like them.

[golach]

If they can open an Asda store in Dunbar in East Lothian , why not in Thurso? The approx poputalion of Thurso is 9000, Dunbar is approx 6400,

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1458222007 (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1458222007)

[plutonio]

i think if Asda opens in Thurso the number of people shopping in Tesco will reduce significantly and thus by time the quality and choice of products will also diminish, the same will happen to the Asda in time as the county is not big enough to sustain both of these big stores.

[Rheghead]

So the argument about the money being lost from Thurso to Wick is bogus. The spend has not gone to Wick but into the Tescos' security van and driven South. How has this benefitted the local economy?

The arguement that trade has been diverted from local shops to tescos may be bogus because Safeways has closed. We have just swapped one southern owned supermarket with one that is much better.

However, the arguement that local shops will suffer is bogus because they
should be improving the quality of their goods inorder to compete with Tesco. Shouldn't this be applauded or would you be satisfied with outpriced, out of date tat of yesteryear?

[peter macdonald]

Ok Pentlander It was fine for a large proportion of Caithness to decant to Inverness to shop each weekend because that was happening That was money disappearing down South as well was it not... Wicks "owld shoppies " were disappearing long before Tescos was thought about up here There used to be 3 fish shops in Pulteney in the 60-70s Jim Millers on the Blackstairs Alister MacKays at the Francis Street crossroads and George MacKenzies in Barrogill St Only one remains the other 2 were gone long ago..retirement old age whatever
As for the Grocers like Ally Wares Beggs Jack Bremners etc etc well you can put that down a Supermarket ie The COOP when it opened in Thurso Road ..the same lot who were objecting to Tesco This bastion of free trade was selling staple items cheaper than local shops could buy them from the wholeseller in Wick and when a couple of traders went to the see the manager about it he just shrugged his shoulders The COOP effectivly ended their livelyhood
Again as regards to your arguement about money going South do you shop at LIDLS Somerfields Mackays the Draper DE shoes The Hydro etc etc well all these and more are south companies who send their profits out of Caithness
PM

[tenabowla]

Can,t actually see the problem the wee local shop people have. The staff and proprietors can get a job at the supermarkets as well. Only problem is the ex shop owner might have to drive a ford/vauxhall rather than the Merc!!