Tesco admits defeat over Alnwick store

Feb 27 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

SUPERMARKET firm Tesco has admitted defeated after a long-running battle to open a store in a Northumberland market town.

The chain has told The Journal that it will not be seeking planning permission for an outlet in Alnwick and that it is likely to put the Willis garage site it bought for this purpose back on the market.

The decision brings to an end a protracted fight by the chain which dates back to 2001, with Tesco citing the imminent opening of a Sainsbury’s store in the town as a key factor in its decision.

A spokesman for Tesco recently told The Journal that it was a case of “never say never” over the chain’s bid to open in Alnwick.

But a company spokeswoman yesterday confirmed: “We have not got any plans to open a store on that site and will probably be looking to sell the site in due course as we understand that Sainsbury’s has a consent in Alnwick.”

With Willis set to move in June or July and Tesco likely to sell, it remains to be seen what the future will hold for the garage site.

Alnwick town centre trader Peter Lewis last night said he was not surprised that Tesco has opted to ditch the site.

Mr Lewis, owner of G Penrose TV and Electrical Goods on Bondgate Within, said: “I kind of thought that was going to happen in the first place. I got the feeling that they just bought it to stop anyone else getting it. I am not in the least bit surprised.

“I think Morrisons and Sainsbury’s is enough considering we have also got Iceland and the Co-op. I really do not know if the town could support another one.

“ They have probably done their sums and realised that.

“I am not very sure about out-of-town trade anyway. It does tend to have a detrimental effect on the town centre.”

Alnwick councillor John Hope added: “Tesco are going for the larger units and maybe there is just not enough business in Alnwick to go around four supermarkets.”

Sainbsury’s is set to open its store on the Willowburn Industrial Estate on March 13, though Lidl has yet to start work on its South Road site and has still to submit information to the council to satisfy planning conditions. The arrival of Sainsbury’s brings to an end the monopoly on shopping choice held over Alnwick by the Morrisons store on Fenkle Street, which was previously owned by Safeway.

Safeway won permission from Alnwick planners in the 1990s for a larger store on Willowburn Avenue, but this was overturned following a public inquiry.

It later applied to extend its existing store but subsequently withdrew that application.