What do Thame businesses think of Tesco plan?

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MOST businesses in Thame are probably aware by now of the planning application that Tesco is intending to submit in January 2015, for a supermarket, offices and a petrol station, on the site which Tesco owns and where DAF is currently located in Howland Road.

If you’re a local business, and haven’t already made up your mind about whether you support the application or not then Thame4Business would like to encourage you to visit the Thame Barns Centre on either November 28 or 29 (this Friday and Saturday) when there will be an exhibition of Tesco’s proposals for the site.

Thame4Business spokesperson, Sue Martin-Downhill, appealed to local businesses to let her know their feelings, and explained: “Once we know the opinions and concerns of local businesses, Thame4Business is willing to represent a “business voice” at any meetings on the issue.

Some people have already made their views known at: https://www.thame.net/archives/17808 and https://www.thame.net/archives/17654 – including some from local businesses.

Sue continued: “To comment from a Thame business perspective please can you comment via this article.

“Thame Town Council will organise a meeting at the town hall for all the businesses, if this would be worthwhile, and a representative from Tesco could be invited to answer any questions or listen to your opinions.

“The representatives of Thame4Business who are so far involved in this are Sue Martin-Downhill (of Racquets Fitness Centre) and Sonja Francis (of Thame.net). We hope that other businesses will become involved to ensure that the voice of local businesses is heard during the application process.

“If you would like to email us direct then please do so via suedownhill@gmail.com.”

Comments

6 responses to “What do Thame businesses think of Tesco plan?”

21/12/2014

James Doggett

i agree with t rushforth. The answer to all this is to allow sainsburys to move on to the cattle market (which they were campaigning for last year) or alternatively another supermarket brand (although my preference would be sainsburys). I believe that the cattle market planning application is now for “non food retail” which the town doesn’t need. To be fair to all thame residents, nowhere on the ground breaking thame town plan did it mention putting a supermarket on the daf site, or indeed give options for siting a new supermarket.

The “answer” in my view is to allow a supermarket on the cattle market and use the daf site for housing. This would expand the housing stock, within the perimeter of the ring road and also it would complement houses in the surrounding streets.
20/12/2014

T Rushforth

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but perhaps Thame should have not voted against the Supermarket in place of the town centre cattle market. Instead of being completely negative look around at similar size & thriving towns in Oxon & Bucks as I do during the course of my job. For example Marlow, Sainsbury’s right in the town centre, large car park ( which Thame lacks ) for everyone to use when either at Sainsburys or into the town centre ( Planning S106 ) can make this happen ) and a thriving & well served town centre , including new small business opening up
05/12/2014

Duncan Nickless

A large supermarket on the outskirts of Thame will significantly reduce footfall through the Town centre. In addition Tesco plan to operate ‘click and collect’ at this store, so all local shops will be impacted.
Our Town centre is the heart of the community and the envy of other communities up and down the country. With so many High Streets struggling we should be supporting our High Street and local traders rather than turning our back on them. If this supermarket goes ahead, more out of town retailers will pop up on the outskirts of Thame and I’m afraid our vibrant Town Centre will be just a memory.
29/11/2014

KJM

It is very important that the traders of Thame play a prominent role in this process, as the advent of Tesco will impact many livelihoods. Evidence in other market towns tells its own tale. Well done to Sue and Sonja for helping to bring the traders together and give them the opportunity to collectively voice their opinions.
28/11/2014

Jason

I have a small shop in Thame,and the introduction of Tesco will have a direct impact on my shop and possibly all small independent shops in the town.
Thame has a thriving town center and it needs to stay this way, Having a large Tesco so close to the town center will only draw people away from the high street and this will have a major impact to the majority of the independent shops
Everything Tesco has to offer we already have on the high street,and as for the 200 jobs they will offer to Thame i fear there will be a lot more than this lost.
We need to stop this going ahead for the future of Thame and its thriving high street
27/11/2014

Dick Jennens

I support the objections to Tesco plans.
The structural changes to food shopping habits indicate that large supermarkets are not the choice for many shoppers, they are losing popularity.
In addition, Thame is an interesting and vibrant town centre, an out of town large Supermarket would seriously damage this – we must not allow that to happen.
Affordable housing and housing is required – lets put people first.
Recent publicity indicates that Tesco is the supermarket chain that lacks any ethical values, we want them here because….?