An artist's impression of the new Tesco superstore at Walton Green - villagers in Trimley St Mary are worried about the traffic the development will generate.
Felixstowe: New Tesco superstore could persuade people to shop more in town centre
BY RICHARD CORNWELL
Saturday, February 23, 2013
8:00 AM
SO many people from the resort are now doing their main shop at edge-of-Ipswich superstores, it has become a habit which could wreck the town centre in the long-term.
Town planning and development consultants Alsop Verrill, working on behalf of the Walton Green scheme for Tesco and Trinity College, Cambridge, say it is a trend which a new 30,000sq ft Tesco at the resort could help to reverse.
They claim a new supermarket would claw back money to the resort because it will not stock everything people can currently buy at an out-of-town superstore – creating spin-off benefits because shoppers would then buy other non-food items in Hamilton Road.
In its retail assessment, the company said there is a “clearly emerging trend” showing that those using Felixstowe town centre for their main food shopping are the elderly, those without children and those without cars.
These people would probably stay loyal to their chosen shops even if a superstore was built in Walton High Street.
Families and adults though used Waitrose, Tesco at Martlesham, Sainsbury and Asda – and could be persuaded to shop closer to home.
“A troubling byproduct of more and more people doing their main food shopping significantly away from Felixstowe is the growing familiarity and acclimatisation of this habit and what might be seen as a disinclination to do any or much shopping close to home,” said Alsop Verrill’s report.
“Unless Felixstowe improves its own shopping offer in a way that matches the expectations of people shopping out of town, the drift from local shopping will continue, to the long-term detriment of the town centre and its businesses.”
■ Would you shop in town if you couldn’t get all your shopping at Walton Green Tesco? Add your comments below . . .
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9 comments
I don't think the new Tesco Store will encourage people to shop in the town centre because, frankly, there is nothing there of any interest. The new places springing up seem to be, yawn, charity shops and while these places do a great job supporting the worthy causes, they don't have to pay the rates like other businesses do. Anyway the chances are that Tesco will have a CafeRestaurant selling coffee at a quarter of the price that they do in the town centre thus meaning there is little else to warrant a visit. Having said all of this, I am still strongly in favour of Tesco and am fairly certain that the WFCF main members actually live in the area behind the proposed Walton Green site... Just saying .. :D
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Dave Martin
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
PEOPLE KEEP ON ABOUT THE TESCO STORE ,, BUT DON.T FELIXSTOWE ALREADY HAVE A SUPERMARKET ?? BESIDES ITS THE ENGLISH DAY OUT GOING TO THE SUPERMARKET ,,, GONE ARE THE DAYS OF A NICE WALK IN THE PARK , OR ALONG THE BEACH ,,
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MIGUEL100
Saturday, February 23, 2013
What gets me is why is some people blaming tesco its not there fault that felixstown town center is gone downhill. It wouldnt affect the town center at all and people would still use what remains of the town. Like the reports most of felixstowe travel miles to do there big shopping because our current stores dont stock many things that we need. Ipswich has more variety and real choice of stores and some of the same stores every where we cant even have one. Get with the times and let us have a choice where to shop.
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Antony Perkins
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Felixstowe still has a closed pier - a closed theatre - the former North Sea Hotel and yacht pond areas are a sign of poor planning decisions taken locally by people ignored by the majority of the electorate . Tesco will add nothing to the area other than having a good source of well stocked shelves. I will not spend more in the Hamilton road area if it opens, there is very little to buy in Felixstowe that is not better elsewhere. People will travel and pay for parking if the offer is worth it. I'm no fan of Tesco but it is not their fault Hamilton road is out of favor with shoppers. Shoppers expect more and whilst the town has some lovely old housing and the prom is a great place to walk -it is poorly served by shops. That is no the fault of Tesco.
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Gina Frost
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Shouldn't this piece be clearly labelled "Propaganda on behalf of Tesco"? About the only thing missing is the usual lie about "creating jobs".
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beerlover
Saturday, February 23, 2013
It puzzle's me why for such a big store they won't be stocking everything, if that's to be believed surlely people will carry on shopping where they can get everything they want in one place, it goes without saying people will have to travel elsewhere to get real beef anyway.
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Alan Smith
Saturday, February 23, 2013
We really do need this new supermarket in Felixstowe, Tesco or whoever it is, the report is right why do most people have to travel 20-30 miles round trip just to find a well stocked supermarket? This area is poorly served at the moment, why is a mystery as many other smaller towns already have at least one or more large supermarkets. I'm a trimley resident and fully support it
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john
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Felixstowe is slowly going back in time, not forward. That may not be to everyones liking, including mine sometimes, but thats life today. With more people working shifts and longer distances, a 9-5 High Street of primarily banking, charity and coffee shops just doesn't do it (I agree with Barry there!). I am one of those who currently shops in Martlesham. Walton Tesco might just tempt me more locally, it remains to be seen. But whatever happens there is nothing in Hamilton Road for me now!
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Weary Traveller
Saturday, February 23, 2013
I don't believe that the new Tesco on Walton green would enhance the town, just the opposite. People would do their shop and leave, why would they fight the build up of traffic to visit Felixstowe to find when they arrive, a town centre with no free parking and a load of charity shops. Sorry TESCO has got its head screwed on backwards if they think that the new Walton Green store will put money into anyone's pockets but their own
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barry levine
Saturday, February 23, 2013