Rumours
Well, the latest on the the town's rejuvenation came into my earshot earlier today and I think that this could be the most truthful gossip of what is likely to happen next.
There is a pet shop that took a short lease on a retail unit in a block that is to be pulled down when the next stage takes place. The owner of that business had been talking with another shop worker and it appears that this pet shop is to move into a spare unit in the twon which we know is not being brought down. Its the old unit as once used by the Post Office which has been vacant for years.
This person has been told that the unit that once held Sommerfield Supermarket is going to be taken over by...Wilkinson's. Now, I have no problem with Wilkinson's as I remember it when I used to pop into a branch in Darlington years ago but some months ago I popped into a branch in another neighbouring town, Bishop Auckland and I was disppointed and I thought, it will be a long time before I frequent that place again.
The problem we do have is that we have Pound Stretcher and Boyes which sell much the same items as Wilkinson's so its a duplicate business and all its going to do is take business from the other two stores. Not create new business. And we needed competition from a food outlet. Also, a new food outlet would help people who have mobility problems avoid a long trek to the new area of the town where Tesco's is based.
So if true, the town centre is still in big trouble. And the hope that ASDA was coming seems dashed. And how long before the new store opens? The latest is it will be two years away.
There is a pet shop that took a short lease on a retail unit in a block that is to be pulled down when the next stage takes place. The owner of that business had been talking with another shop worker and it appears that this pet shop is to move into a spare unit in the twon which we know is not being brought down. Its the old unit as once used by the Post Office which has been vacant for years.
This person has been told that the unit that once held Sommerfield Supermarket is going to be taken over by...Wilkinson's. Now, I have no problem with Wilkinson's as I remember it when I used to pop into a branch in Darlington years ago but some months ago I popped into a branch in another neighbouring town, Bishop Auckland and I was disppointed and I thought, it will be a long time before I frequent that place again.
The problem we do have is that we have Pound Stretcher and Boyes which sell much the same items as Wilkinson's so its a duplicate business and all its going to do is take business from the other two stores. Not create new business. And we needed competition from a food outlet. Also, a new food outlet would help people who have mobility problems avoid a long trek to the new area of the town where Tesco's is based.
So if true, the town centre is still in big trouble. And the hope that ASDA was coming seems dashed. And how long before the new store opens? The latest is it will be two years away.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 7:38 pm
1 Comments:
Gildy how disappointing for you.I think it's terrible that you and your neighbours have nowhere local to go.
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