Yippee!!! Our Town Centre Has Some New Christmas Lights...
The new part which has the latest shops and where most of what anyone needs is situated appear to have nothing whatsoever.
I don't deny that the world is getting warmer and that Man has nothing to do with the change but I still believe that what we are doing plays much less in the great scheme of things that our politicians and pressure groups are now promoting in the media daily...say it long enough and most people will believe what they are told. What's that saying about "give me a child before he's seven" or something like that.
That issue and global warming may be dealt with further at another time...then again...what about all the Christmas lights that are being fastened to people's homes as I write this? Or businesses that are closed overnight that insist on keeping all their lights on even when the business is closed? A relocated branch of my bank has opened near Tesco's because the old location is due for demolition and was in a bad state of repair. At night my memory suggests that its lights were switched off overnight but the new premises seems to be fully lit all through the night and being all glass so far it has no shutters that come down when business ends for the day.
How many more businesses could help the environment by switching off their lighting?
If threatened because of excessive use of power and should the prices increasing such businesses will be able to afford the increase because of their profits or charging customers more.
Anyhow, the main reason for this entry is that the extension of the new Tesco's is so far in advance that though it was due to open in March, I am told that it could be happening in the middle of December. And whilst I was expecting a whole new floor to appear on top of the premises it appears that they have reduced the space between floor to ceiling and put in another floor so outside the property looks the same. The new area seems to occupy only approx half the store and I get the impression that they are in the process of adding a kind of escalator to help you to reach the new floor.
Once built I do hope that something that has happened during the building can be corrected otherwise this extension comes with a disadvantage...the extra pillars that have been added to support the upper floor means that many of the aisles that you walk around with with your trolley are so narrow that you have to move around the pillars, sometimes get in queue with other shoppers waiting for others on the other side to move by so you can move again or if there are too many people, you have to wait for a few to move so you can get to the products on the shelves.
Why have Tesco's decided to change the property so soon after coming here? Many rumours abound...such as they did not realise how popular this branch would be(well, as practically all the food is only available from them)unless you order or motor out of town, that speaks for itself, the only other supermarket in town closed months ago and so far the retail outlet is still empty(though still there is talk that ASDA are interested and will move in as soon as possible)so again its said that Tesco's are trying to get this extension up and running whilst the competition is almost nil. Not forgetting that Christmas is only weeks away. Just listen to the tills ringing...
And finally, though this did not probably play a part in the extension of the store...the neighbouring town of Darlington has said via various public meetings and consultations "No!" to a development from Tesco's and the final meeting of the Council there on this matter is said to happen in the next few weeks but its not looking good for the proposal being accepted. So I guess Tesco shoppers from there will travel here. One problem that is going to remain a major headache is the car park and the entrance to/from the store, its layout does often mean that cars end up being held up, even blocking a major arterial road and a roundabout that is immediately outside the store. Even where their petrol station is positioned adds to the problem. I have seen some near misses.
Still, no sign of further moves on the demolition of the other parts of the town as promised and there are still five retail units without any takers.
For convenience I have to use the store(its only two or three streets away)I like some of the staff who are very kind and are willing to talk to me and have got to know me. Some are from other stores no longer open so I have known them years and yes, I have to admit to liking some of the products that are on sale.
But equally, if ASDA comes into town it will save the older part of the town, give me greater choice and is just as easy to access. And I have now been told that just as I sometimes order online I can also now order from Sainsbury's and ASDA.
I don't deny that the world is getting warmer and that Man has nothing to do with the change but I still believe that what we are doing plays much less in the great scheme of things that our politicians and pressure groups are now promoting in the media daily...say it long enough and most people will believe what they are told. What's that saying about "give me a child before he's seven" or something like that.
That issue and global warming may be dealt with further at another time...then again...what about all the Christmas lights that are being fastened to people's homes as I write this? Or businesses that are closed overnight that insist on keeping all their lights on even when the business is closed? A relocated branch of my bank has opened near Tesco's because the old location is due for demolition and was in a bad state of repair. At night my memory suggests that its lights were switched off overnight but the new premises seems to be fully lit all through the night and being all glass so far it has no shutters that come down when business ends for the day.
How many more businesses could help the environment by switching off their lighting?
If threatened because of excessive use of power and should the prices increasing such businesses will be able to afford the increase because of their profits or charging customers more.
Anyhow, the main reason for this entry is that the extension of the new Tesco's is so far in advance that though it was due to open in March, I am told that it could be happening in the middle of December. And whilst I was expecting a whole new floor to appear on top of the premises it appears that they have reduced the space between floor to ceiling and put in another floor so outside the property looks the same. The new area seems to occupy only approx half the store and I get the impression that they are in the process of adding a kind of escalator to help you to reach the new floor.
Once built I do hope that something that has happened during the building can be corrected otherwise this extension comes with a disadvantage...the extra pillars that have been added to support the upper floor means that many of the aisles that you walk around with with your trolley are so narrow that you have to move around the pillars, sometimes get in queue with other shoppers waiting for others on the other side to move by so you can move again or if there are too many people, you have to wait for a few to move so you can get to the products on the shelves.
Why have Tesco's decided to change the property so soon after coming here? Many rumours abound...such as they did not realise how popular this branch would be(well, as practically all the food is only available from them)unless you order or motor out of town, that speaks for itself, the only other supermarket in town closed months ago and so far the retail outlet is still empty(though still there is talk that ASDA are interested and will move in as soon as possible)so again its said that Tesco's are trying to get this extension up and running whilst the competition is almost nil. Not forgetting that Christmas is only weeks away. Just listen to the tills ringing...
And finally, though this did not probably play a part in the extension of the store...the neighbouring town of Darlington has said via various public meetings and consultations "No!" to a development from Tesco's and the final meeting of the Council there on this matter is said to happen in the next few weeks but its not looking good for the proposal being accepted. So I guess Tesco shoppers from there will travel here. One problem that is going to remain a major headache is the car park and the entrance to/from the store, its layout does often mean that cars end up being held up, even blocking a major arterial road and a roundabout that is immediately outside the store. Even where their petrol station is positioned adds to the problem. I have seen some near misses.
Still, no sign of further moves on the demolition of the other parts of the town as promised and there are still five retail units without any takers.
For convenience I have to use the store(its only two or three streets away)I like some of the staff who are very kind and are willing to talk to me and have got to know me. Some are from other stores no longer open so I have known them years and yes, I have to admit to liking some of the products that are on sale.
But equally, if ASDA comes into town it will save the older part of the town, give me greater choice and is just as easy to access. And I have now been told that just as I sometimes order online I can also now order from Sainsbury's and ASDA.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 5:01 pm
3 Comments:
Interesting, I hope over time there are other stores which open and are easily accessible for you so you can have that choice. We use a variety of supermarkets, all the major ones and a less well known one called Lidl. I've found with some products, there is a greater range in the smaller stores.
Gildy, perhaps they thought the shabbier part of your town needed cheering up with some lights !
It will be good news if Asda opens nearer you.
It will also help if you can order stuff over the internet from more than one supermarket.
Darlington has a Lidl and all other supermarkets possible except Tesco's but a taxi there costs around £20 return and to bring shopping back on a bus if its the big shop is difficult but of course its assumed all households have access to a car(I can drive but so far for various reasons have not tried to try get another one)if I ever decide to again ;-)
Lidl does seem popular as does Aldi...We are surrounded by supermakets really as many of them are duplicated in neighbouring towns all approx 5-7 miles from here so that takes in Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor, Stockton On Tees and so on.
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