Traders' fears over Tesco superstore shift plan

Trusted article source icon
Monday, October 05, 2009
Profile image for This is SouthWales

This is SouthWales

PLANS to move Tesco from the centre of Swansea would be a disaster for city centre business, say traders.

Developers announced last week they were in negotiations with the supermarket giant to move from its current home in Oystermouth Road to Parc Tawe.

The proposal is seen as crucial to the £1 billion project to regenerate the city and make it a "European destination city of distinction".

But not all traders are happy with the potential move because they fear the knock-on effect on their business if the superstore goes.

Peter Birch, chairman of Oxford Street traders, said: "We are not in favour of Tesco leaving at all.

"As a flagship trader, having them move will be taking away a massive customer pull from the city centre.

"Parc Tawe as a shopping area is away from the centre of Swansea, and Tesco is a big pull.

"If it is away from the city centre, then it will be a death knell. Already traders are suffering — some have even had to re-mortgage to keep going.

"It is totally wrong for the city to allow that to happen."

The ambitious regeneration project was first unveiled last year, with new retail and residential units linking the city centre with the waterfront via a "European-style" boulevard along Oystermouth Road.

Video fly-through of how Swansea city centre could look in the future

Assembly Deputy Minister for regeneration Leighton Andrews last week announced a £38 million package of Assembly and European funding for the scheme.

Hammerson, the developer running the project, said Tesco's Oystermouth Road site was crucial to the development.

Simon Betty, of Hammerson, said: "We do not believe Parc Tawe to be a satellite location, even if it appears to be at the moment.

"That is partly down to the design of the site itself, and it is not a normal link to the rest of the city at the moment.

"Visitors to Tesco will continue to visit the city centre.

"A fundamental part of the design has that in view.

"People who go food shopping do not tend to go fashion shopping at the same time, they make a different trip.

Visit our Business in the Bay website

"We are trying to make a modern retail environment, and taking the supermarket out of the city centre will allow a structural improvement. It will be a positive benefit to the city centre and provide growth opportunities.

"We know what is possible and what is achievable, and we are sure once we involve traders in the process they will be more relaxed about it."

Tesco has confirmed it is in talks with Hammerson about a possible move to Parc Tawe.

Related articles:

Why Tesco move is so crucial to Swansea project's success

Two major retailers set to move into £30m site

38
Tweet this article
Report

38 Comments

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Nathan Thomas, Oystermouth Road Shop complex development

    Friday, December 11 2009, 1:58PM

    “Tesco needs to be relocated to River Tawe as they are caused a massive barrier to town centre as Tesco stops further development to be done for building a new major department store and also they need a bigger store. At this moment our tesco is too small and sometime we hit each other on the ailse between shelves with pushing the trolley each other. I think it is not so nice to have us pushing to each other. The other reason they need a bigger store with wider ailse so we can have a more room to push the trolleys.

    Swansea town centre needs to be redeveloped like Bristol Cribbs shopping complex.

    The other reason is lot of people take a bus to Cardiff as they have a wider selection of shops instead of spending money in swansea town centre.

    We need to make a move from there.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by christian, swansea

    Thursday, October 08 2009, 11:57PM

    “the sources mate are from the council ref the streets going and also the map of the updates that the council is baning out of the updates.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Stephen G, Swansea

    Wednesday, October 07 2009, 7:43PM

    “chris d, swansea

    Fair play to you for finding a career hat is right for you and keeping a base in Swansea.

    However, I have tried the weekend commuting bit myself and it is very difficult. If that is the best we can expect in Swansea at the moment, then that is a powerful case for change.

    As "not a whinging jack" has pointed out, we need to take a broader view, in the interests of the city as a whole.

    Otherwise, we really will be left with kebabs, beer & Tescos, which would be a tragic waste of potential, for the City and its people”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by not a whinging jack, London

    Wednesday, October 07 2009, 9:50AM

    “Chris - unfortunately not everyone wants to join the armed forces and get blown up in Afghanistan, some people have career aspirations that doesn¿t involve certain death. Good on you though for being in the armed forces, I have great respect for people that fight for our country ¿ it¿s only a pity that the government doesn¿t seem to. However, I¿m not sure your facts are quite straight, I don¿t believe it¿s been mentioned anywhere that housing will need to be demolished in the Sandfields, where¿s you source from? I think you need to consider the additional benefits the redevelopment of tescos will bring to the wider community as a whole and regenerating the area will in all likelihood lead to an increase in the value of properties in the Sandfileds as has happened in St. Thomas with SA1.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by chris d, swansea

    Tuesday, October 06 2009, 7:45PM

    “mr not a whinging jack.
    join the armed forces then for a career and job prospects i have and am in it. i currently commute from swansea to plymouth every week and leave my family here even when i deploy overseas. so dont come to me about small town syndrome. i and my family are happy with tescos being there as it is. the council can work around tescos as far as im concerned also as your out of the area mr not a whinging jack are you aware of the dozens of familys that are going to get displaced in the area at the top end of the sandfields as their houses will be knocked down then the area developed i bet no 1 told you that did they or any 1 of you people saying yes so you crack on mr not a whinging jack some of us could be without housing.
    KEEP TESCOS REGENERATE THE HIGH ST INSTEAD AND LEAVE DECENT PEOPLE IN THE SANDFIELDS ALONE.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by not a whinging jack, London

    Tuesday, October 06 2009, 7:52AM

    “Chris D ¿ Great points you put across there, so the fact I don¿t live in Swansea at present means I can¿t comment on what I think is best for my home city where I was born and raised. Rightio then, I suppose the fact I live in London means I can¿t support the swans either? I¿ll have to rip up my season ticket and save myself the bother of travelling back every home game, cheers mate! Unfortunately, I and many of my friends have had to move from Swansea in order to find decent paying jobs and career prospects, it¿s precisely this reason I want Swansea to develop for the better so younger generations won¿t have their hands forced to do the same. Your small town mentality is honestly so short sighted it¿s embarrassing.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by chris d, sandfields swansea

    Tuesday, October 06 2009, 12:23AM

    “WHY MOVE TESCO.
    to all you people who live outside the sandfields area or marina area of swansea the current location of tescos is great for the local economy.
    the majority of people here couldnt give a damn about the local people in the area as your outsiders. Tescos should stay there, parc tawe is out of the way for the local residents. OHH and whats going to go in its place a few more bars or clubs as thats all swansea is about drunken idiots invading wind street for a drink fight and kebab on a saturday night.
    Swansea will never be like cardiff ever.
    NOT A WHINGEING JACK YOU DONT LIVE IN THE AREA SO YOU DO NOT COUNT AT ALL ON THIS MATTER.
    IT REALLY DOES ANNOY ME WHEN OUTSIDERS STICK THEIR OAR IN TO SOMETHING WHICH REALLY DOESNT CONCERN THEM

    TESCO SHOULD STAY FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE END OF.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by swansea shopper, swansea

    Monday, October 05 2009, 10:51PM

    “do people park in swansea tesco car park to go shopping in tesco or just to nip into town to pick up a couple of things ?
    maybe swansea city centre needs more car parks than a bigger tesco's !!!!!!!!!”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by kev, swansea

    Monday, October 05 2009, 10:29PM

    “the new john lewis store in cardiff has it's own undeground car park so if tesco moves then the redevelopment should be a new shopping area linking to the quadrant with massive underground car parks.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Happy Shopper, Tescos

    Monday, October 05 2009, 9:21PM

    “What's happening with the Vetch?
    Are the council hoping if they wait long enough it will fall down and save them the cost of demolition?

    Is there another city council anywhere in the UK that would have allowed such a a huge, ugly, rusting eyesore to stand there derelict for so long on prime development land?

    Only in Swansea eh.”

        Your comments awaiting moderation

        Add your comments

        max 4000 characters