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30 April 2007
Dear Sir
Groceries Market Investigation
I am writing to you as a resident and businesswoman of Sheringham in Norfolk principally
because of my increasing concern at the misrepresentation in the national media of the
views of many people in Sheringham concerning the proposed Tesco supermarket for the Town.
The implication that the arrival of a Tesco supermarket will adversely affect the other
shops in Sheringham and that local people are all opposed to Tesco is simply not the case.
Furthermore, the suggestion that Tesco have somehow 'bullied' the local District Council
is equally without foundation. .Indeed, I became so concerned about the anti Tesco bias in
the reporting of the whole issue that late last year; I started PROTESC to provide a focus
for local supporters of the Tesco scheme to try to ensure that our voice could be clearly
heard.
The main reason why I and I believe the majority of local residents support a Tesco's
supermarket proposal is because we do not have a decent food store in Sheringham.
The idea propagated by opponents of the scheme that it's okay for people to travel to
Cromer or even further afield to do their food shopping is surely unsustainable in both
environmental and social terms.
There are many people in Sheringham particularly the elderly, less well off and young
mothers who cannot just jump into the car and drive to Cromer, Fakenham or Norwich to buy
their food. Yes, it is possible to buy a variety of food items in Sheringham (sold in
shops that are classed as large village stores) at the moment but prices are generally
much higher than in a supermarket and to my mind it is completely wrong to deny Sheringham
people the right to buy reasonably priced food in their own Town.
I find it very curious that some of the leading opponents of the Tesco proposal are local
shopkeepers who sell goods which one is very unlikely to find in a Tesco, particularly in
the size of the one intended for Sheringham. Interestingly, one of our leading local
butchers with a shop in both Sheringham and Cromer has successfully traded in Cromer
despite there being three large supermarkets in the town so I really do not understand why
there is so much opposition to a Tesco coming to Sheringham.
In conclusion, I think the most important issue of all is the question of choice. At the
moment local people do not have a proper choice of food store in Sheringham. If Tesco
receive planning consent for their store then we will have genuine choice.
Yours sincerely
Pam Blyth |
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Contacts: Pam Blyth
email: info@protesc.co.uk
Postal: Protesc, c/o 14 Waterbank House, Station Approach, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8RA |
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