Cherry Tree newsagent's anger over Sainsbury's approval (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Cherry Tree newsagent's anger over Sainsbury's approval
1:00pm Saturday 23rd February 2013 in News
CHERRY Tree newsagent Stephen Worsley has expressed disappointment after councillors finally approved a new Sainsbury’s ‘Local’ convenience store just 300 metres from his shop.
He has vowed to fight to keep his customers satisfied and patronising his premises despite the Blackburn with Darwen planning committee ignoring his last ditch plea to turn the scheme down.
Last month the all-party group deferred the decision to make a second visit to the site in Cherry Tree because of concerns about parking and the effect on Mr Worsley’s shop further down Preston Old Road.
On Thursday they gave it the go-ahead having been satisfied there was adequate parking.
Now the committee have granted Holts of Cherry Tree Carpet and Flooring Centre in Preston Old Road permission to split the existing ground floor premises in two to allow Sainsbury’s to open a convenience store.
They also want to turn the upstairs offices into a gym and pilates room. The scheme is expected to create 24 jobs.
Mr Worsley told the meeting that he remained concerned at the potential for parking, traffic and anti-social behaviour problems if the application was approved and cast doubt on the number of jobs.
He said: “A posh new facia and a brightly lit store does not a local community shop make.”
Afterwards Mr Worsley, who has build up his shop over 19 years, said: “I am disappointed obviously.
“I have a very strong customer base and will be doing all I can to ensure they continue to use my shop and not the new Sainsbury’s.
“I intend to be a bigger thorn in the side of Sainsbury’s than they are to my business.”
Tory planning spokesman Alan Cottam said after the visit he could see no grounds for refusing the application on traffic or parking grounds.
Fellow Livesey with Pleasington ward councillor Derek Hardman said he was still uneasy with the siting of the new convenience store.
Louise Gill, of Holts’ agents Sunderland Peacock and Associates, had no comment to make on the decision.
A Sainsbury's spokesman said: "We are pleased. We look forward to being part of the community."
Comments(19)
A Darener
says...
2:52pm Sat 23 Feb 13
M Foster wrote:Approx26% of Sainsbury's shares are held by Qatari holdings 26% by the family the rest by all kinds of private investors. If you are so concerned about foreign investment in British company's then why don't you buy shares in Sainsbury's? Then you will be doing your bit to keep British company's in British hands. British overseas investments help the country just as foreign investment in British company's help foreign countries. It is called business. Shoppers nowadays owe no loyalty to small shops, only to getting what they want at the cheapest price. It is up to the small businessman to provide a service the customer wants. Should shopping on the Internet be banned because it harms small businesses? Businesses are customer driven, provide what he wants and he will buy off you.
Big business with it's big money always wins over local amenities in the end. It is a symptom of greedy capitalism, once again by a foreign-owned business. Perhaps substantial donations to certain political parties might have smoothed the path or am I being too cynical?
sen c b l
says...
2:58pm Sat 23 Feb 13
DG6985
says...
3:04pm Sat 23 Feb 13
Support your local independent businesses, the likes of Sainsburys are just a rip off.
woolywords
says...
4:27pm Sat 23 Feb 13
He said: “A posh new facia and a brightly lit store does not a local community shop make.”
Apart from your sad dilapidated shop, with it's dimly lit interior, over priced goods and your callous indifference to the wants of the customers..Why would I possibly want to shop elsewhere?
Crikey, even in the big shops, like Tesco, Asda and Morrisons, many of the staff know me by name, as do I, them. Warm greetings are exchanged between us, unlike your dour and surly manner.
Someone has spent a bit of time, doing a bit of market research, to find out the true wants of your customer base, and by that, the opening of a Sainsbury store fullfils that need. It's a market driven economy now, where the weakest fall by the wayside. And to quote the inimitable Anne Robinson, you are the weakest link, goodbye.
M.DANNY
says...
5:26pm Sat 23 Feb 13
risons and Asda.
In area like Cherry Tree and others like Little Harwood,Audley/Queen
s Park,Intack,Roe Lee,Mill Hill,Infirmary some local stores have joined Spar,Nisa and Londis and invested in refurbishing shops with more modern facia more lightings,modern shop shelves and epos system.The local shops can do well with right prices .Many small shops around the Borough are fighting back the big supermarket chains.
King Fabulous
says...
5:27pm Sat 23 Feb 13
I loose count of the sniveling whining small business' that I have the misfortune to rely on, They are usually outdated, complacent and think they have a God given right to trade forever (the post office, anyone?), No-one owes them a living no matter how long they have been there and the amount of business hating leftie leaning whinging comments just shows how thick headed most of the people in East Lancs are.
Now can we have a Tesco Extra in Darwen please?
woodyads
says...
10:17pm Sat 23 Feb 13
2 for 5p
says...
10:21pm Sat 23 Feb 13
Best of luck your going to need it you'll be signing onbeforeyou know it.
burner
says...
11:36pm Sat 23 Feb 13
.
Worsley, if you TRULY want to serve the community then STOP SELLING ALCOHOL !!!!!!!!!!!!! Then all those youngsters won't be arzing around in my front garden of an evening!!!
darwenTower
says...
12:25am Sun 24 Feb 13
Most of you deserve to eat the horse that the 'big players' are dishing out to you. The customer will win? I doubt it.
indiana patel
says...
1:07am Sun 24 Feb 13
Them days mrs smith flower shops,mr jones butchers , harry's cobblers.mr brown bakers are all disappeared
Excluded again
says...
7:09am Sun 24 Feb 13
Those people who want small independent retailers need to shop in such shops. If you don't, then they close.
King Fabulous
says...
7:40am Sun 24 Feb 13
darwenTower wrote:When I winter in my cottage in Loire-Atlantique the local Charcuterie supplies the most wonderful horse meat, Nothing wrong with it whatsoever.
I read the comments above and despair.
Most of you deserve to eat the horse that the 'big players' are dishing out to you. The customer will win? I doubt it.
M.DANNY
says...
5:15pm Sun 24 Feb 13
Right prices and good service and thought about a free cash machine inside the shop and lottery outlets that will boost your takings.
I work in a shop selling newspapers sweets toys groceries confectionarys lottery outlet and free cash machine too.we are open 5 in the morning till late 10pm with three staff working on a rota .We are doing well and takings up anf fighting back the big boys like tescos and sainsburys.
M.DANNY
says...
5:24pm Sun 24 Feb 13
We have to work long hours seven days a week to survive in this tough competitive world of superstores shopping malls retail parks and internet shopping.
Fingerbang
says...
6:42pm Sun 24 Feb 13
darwenTower
says...
8:08am Mon 25 Feb 13
King Fabulous wrote:I've nothing against horse meat.
darwenTower wrote:When I winter in my cottage in Loire-Atlantique the local Charcuterie supplies the most wonderful horse meat, Nothing wrong with it whatsoever.
I read the comments above and despair.
Most of you deserve to eat the horse that the 'big players' are dishing out to you. The customer will win? I doubt it.
Fact is it's cheaper wholesale than beef. The supermarkets et al selling it on as beef is indicative how how little they care about their customers, let alone the fact that they've no idea how it got into their products.
Not all small businesses deserve to prosper but can we please stop [retending that the supermarkets are doing us some sort of favour?
Fire Fly
says...
10:33am Mon 25 Feb 13
Granted the opening hours of this particular shop aren't that customer friendly but price wise I don't think it's that's bad. Bottom line, they've never had to compete much previously now they are going to have to.
I remember the newsagents on Lammack Road & corner shop at the bottom of Whinney Ln having issues when each got new owners & each shop started stocking several of the others bigger selling items, The competition didn't kill either business & each continues to thrive as each has something the other doesn't but Sainsbury's is a whole new ball game i'm afraid, v hard to compete against. Good luck though!
M Foster says...
1:16pm Sat 23 Feb 13