Letter to Councillors 26 Jan 09

Email response to Hilary Nelson

Thank you for your reply.

I'm not certain what you mean by the 'problems generated by supermakets' - do you mean problems for councillors or problems for small traders? What about the problems of the majority of residents you represent?
Since 1972 the population profile of Sheringham will have changed considerably, with the vast majority of both incomers and locals brought up on the concept of supermarkets. If one ignores the current hysteria about Tesco et al, supermarkets are simply small, successful businesses that have grown and expanded because customers like them! The fact that some might wish it were otherwise, is of little concern to the 70+% of Sheringham residents who are obliged to either use their cars to shop in Cromer or to suffer higher prices and less choice due to decisions taken by local councillors.

On a personal note, one of the reasons I have voted for your party for several years is because, as a cyclist for over 60yrs, I support your car-use reduction ideas. Decisions taken over many years in Sheringham clearly appear to saying to the vast majority of residents "if you don't like what we offer, jump in the car and go elsewhere!" That, if I may say, seems more of an old-style, Tory reactionary attitude that I would expect to meet in Frinton-on-Sea - it certainly is not my idea of liberal democracy.

Regards, Alan Thomas

Email response from Hilary Nelson

I attended a great many sessions of the enquiry and also the meetings of the formation of the Local Development Framework and the consultations held with members of the Publicp. If you are interested, you may wish to contact Mark Ashwell the Senior Forward Planner at NNDC. I also suggest reference to The Retail Study carried out quite recently by a firm of consultants. A great deal of hard work and consultation has taken place over the years by a lot of professionals in the relevant fields. The matter is now entirely out of our hands. Having lived in Sheringham since 1972 I am only too aware of the problems which have been generated by supermarkets for many years and not just in our part of the Country.
Regards
Hilary Nelson

Dear Councillors Hannah and Nelson

I write to express my concern, as one of the weekly shopping commuters to Cromer, that the needs of Sheringham residents are not being met due to the long-standing opposition to a supermarket in this town. Such opposition appears to have been supported by the Town Council, who to my mind, have acted in favour of a small number of local traders and have ignored the needs of the majority.

May I first give you some personal background: I moved to Sheringham some 5 years ago after retiring from my position as a Retail Director of one of the Thomson Travel companies, which operated some 800 outlets across the UK. Over the years, I was also involved in both commercial and governmental committees seeking to promote tourism in UK resorts.

I mention this simply to point out that in the course of some thirty years, I visited shopping parades and centres in almost every town, city and coastal resort in the UK. I was, therefore, fortunate to gain first hand experience in site selection and the impact of store opening by major retailers.

My personal view of the arrival of Tesco in a site close to the centre is that one of the small supermarkets, one of the two butchers, bakers and pet shops, and possibly two of the three greengrocers might close or change trades. HOWEVER - many of the other traders could well enjoy improved footfall, particularly from summer visitors who currently flood to the supermarkets in Cromer. The main shopping attraction in Sheringham - for both locals and visitors - is clearly Blyth & Wright, who currently close for an hour and a quarter at the busiest time of the day. (As an aside, I find it ironic that this store is one of the stalwarts of the anti-Tesco campaign!) Having seen hundreds of frustrated visitors attempting to enter this most interesting store, I would have thought that any council interested in the promotion of Sheringham as a resort town would have approached the owners on this matter. Unfortunately, one is left with the clear impression that our Town Council is more concerned with negative attitudes rather than positive action.

Personally, I believe the future of the resort should be based upon its unique setting, its wooded surrounds, its lovely shoreline and the steam railway. If the future of half a dozen or so local food shops is threatening the town's future, then something is sadly wrong.

Occasionally, I take the bus to Cromer, and it is then that the absence of a decent food store in our town really strikes home. Family shopping for those without personal transport is a nightmare. Sheringham also has many elderly people who choose to shop in supermarkets - the proposed Tesco site would provide a welcome facility, being within easy walking distance for many central residents who may prefer to shop on a more daily basis.

Finally, Sheringham is not a Sidmouth, a Southwold or a Frinton-on-Sea - it is a town of rather mixed housing and retail premises. The argument that a Tesco store on the proposed site would be an eyesore is, I feel, very misplaced. The garage on the nearby roundabout is what some might say has been an eyesore for many years!

I urge you ask the Town Council to review its stance, and in particular, to assist in what ever way it can to test the opinion of ALL local residents.

Yours sincerely

Alan Thomas

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