A petition containing 3,000 signatures of people against a proposed supermarket on the outskirts of Thame, was today handed in to Thame’s Town Clerk.
Duncan Nickless of the Thame Centre First Campaign was supported by several independent retailers including the butchers, Wrens and Vic Winslade from Fore Golf Hire, and several other Thame businesses, who are among those against the building of a supermarket, commercial units and a petrol station on the DAF site.
The signatories to the petition, which includes residents, town centre retailers, other businesses, shoppers and visitors to the town, support Thame Centre First’s aim to stop the development from passing the planning stage, because they believe it goes against The Thame Neighbourhood Plan, would threaten the livlihoods of town centre independent retailers and therefore damage footfall and the economic viability and vitality of Thame Town Centre.
The Town Clerk, Graham Hunt, accepted the petition and said that it would be very useful to him in enabling him to present all the evidence and supporting material to present to the town councillors, who will decide their stance on the proposal at a council meeting on August 25.
An ePetition against the plans on the local planning authority’s website, South Oxfordshire District Council, has so far attracted 563 signatures (SEE FULL APPLICATION HERE) and an alternative ePetition, for the proposal, has so far attracted 153 signatures.
The ‘Thame Needs Tesco’ group (SEE LINK) believe that the proposal will bring benefits to the town including choice and competition, would encourage those who currently shop outside Thame to shop in Thame, would create new jobs and better pedestrian, cycle and bus links with other parts of Thame.
Thame Needs Tesco (TNT) has a facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ThameNeedsTesco

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