Working to keep Tesco away from the creative and cultural heart of Cambridge.
Archive for the ‘Media coverage’ Category.
CAMPAIGNERS have fired a furious volley at Tesco bosses after they “bulldozed” council planners.
The No Mill Road Tesco Campaign has accused the supermarket giant of “arm-twisting” and “disrespect” after it bypassed slow moving councillors over plans for its store in the street famed for unique shops.
Continue reading ‘CEN article: Tesco protesters hit out at ‘arm-twisting’’ »
Richard Boast wants a few questions answered by the No Mill Road Tesco Campaign, in a letter to the CEN; well, we’re always happy to help.
Continue reading ‘‘I want the facts’ - CEN correspondence’ »
[We contacted the journalist responsible for this piece to follow up various inaccuracies. Following our press release, the CEN subsequently issued another news article which gives better coverage.]
ANGRY Tesco bosses have bypassed slow moving councillors over plans for its Mill Road store, the News can reveal.
Continue reading ‘CEN article: Tesco in shock Mill Road move’ »
Two articles in ‘The Cambridge Student’, 17th January 2008:
The Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee will meet today to deliberate on Tesco’s application to open a new store on Mill Road. The application has caused outcry amongst Mill Road residents, many of whom fear that such a store would cause an increase in congestion and noise in the area and threaten small local shops. The ‘No Mill Road Tesco’ Campaign has collected more than 5200 signatures.
Alice Bloch argues that only consumers have the power to halt the rise and rise of ‘Tescopoly’
Alice Bloch, King’s
Is there anything good about Tesco? It has a 30% share of the UK grocery market, doesn’t think twice about crushing small businesses, and one in seven pounds spent in Britain goes straight into its pockets. And that’s before we even start on its condescending advertising campaign this Christmas.
Yet Tesco ploughs down a one-way high-street to uniformity and market monopoly. Last week, planning officers at Cambridge City Council recommended the approval of a store on Mill Road, perhaps the city’s last bastion of independent retailers and long-nurtured diversity.
Tesco was delighted, saying ‘the new store will provide more convenience food choice that can help to keep people shopping locally’. By this incredible feat of reasoning, if I today purchase a DVD in Borders, I am apparently shopping locally. Well, we’re all shopping locally all the time then - lucky us! Of course, this is far from true and misconceptions must be addressed.
By disliking Tesco, I could be accused of being snobby, and belittling those who cannot shop at independent butchers, bakers and grocers. Yet this is not the case. I am as much opposed to the ‘oh-so-trendy-faux-bohemian-middle-class-Jamie-Oliver-loving-mother-en-route-to-yoga’ organic lifestyle shop epidemic in this country as I am to Tesco. Neither is ideal.
But it is Tesco, along with other supermarkets, that forces independent retailers to raise their prices by opening stores in a flurry of aggressive price-cutting.
It’s not even the case that Tesco always saves us money - research by the New Economics Foundation showed that fresh produce in street markets was on average 30% cheaper than at supermarkets. In 2000, the Department of Health recommended that local authorities discourage the provision of new supermarkets over 1000 square metres outside existing town centres in recognition of the value of local shops to low income households.
So much for Tesco being the social entrepreneur that deluded apologists portray it to be. As Corporate Watch notes, Tesco exploits ‘cash-poor, time-poor’ shoppers. The problem is, nobody dares say this because we all shop there. As its CEO says, ‘we’re just giving customers what they want’. This seems infallible, but is it really true?
After all, do we really want identical high streets, for British producers to lose out, or for our children to not understand what seasonal produce is?
It is time that we asked ourselves what ‘convenience’ really means, and whether we are prepared to sacrifice the diversity and integrity of our communities.
This, however, rests on the hope that we are not all as apathetic as the media claims. Tesco may exist on Mill Road if Councillors decide it, but if consumers don’t shop there, it will fail.
Still, as a generation raised in the age of super consumerism and endless short-term gratification, do students of today have the power to resist their autopilot tendencies? This challenge lies not with the supermarkets but with ourselves.
Alice Bloch is a member of SocDocSoc and third year SPS student.
TESCO fast facts:
This is the version of the article printed in the Cambridge Evening News on 17th January 2008, and is similar but more extensive than the online-only version published the night before (on the 16th January).
by Rachel Extance, Local Government Correspondent
CAMPAIGNERS against plans for a Tesco store in Cambridge’s Mill Road have been given a last-minute stay of execution.
Planning chiefs at Cambridge City Council have taken the scheme off the table for Thursday night’s east area committee after deciding the report did not go into the issues in enough detail.
The decision to postpone came shortly before 5pm last night, taking campaigners and Tesco by surprise.
The decision has only just been made - taking campaigners and the supermarket giant by surprise.
Planning officers had recommended the plans for approval despite a massive public backlash against the idea.
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition against the plans, and more than 1,100 have written letters of objection.
Campaigners were expected to turn out in force to protest at Thursday’s council meeting which had been booked into a larger venue - St Philip’s Church in Mill Road - to make room for the large numbers of people expected.
But now the council has decided the planning reports were “not comprehensive” enough and said the applications will be debated another day.
The No Mill Road Tesco campaign submitted a complaint on Tuesday to the council saying the report on the extension was “substantially incomplete”.
A spokesman for the campaign said: “We are glad that the council have taken our concerns seriously with regard to the incomplete planners’ report and we are confident that when it does come before the councillors, they will acknowledge the strength of public opinion and the strong planning grounds for refusing the applications. We are still confident the applications will be turned down.”
Coun Ben Bradnack, who represents Petersfield, had written to say that detailed objections did not “benefit from detailed answers within the body of the report” and raised issues of refuse arrangements, road safety and car and Cycle parking.
Peter Carter, principal development control manager for the city council, said: “We just don’t think the report is comprehensive enough.
There are a whole series of issues involved. We looked at it earlier in he week and were prepared to run with it, we’ve looked at it again and decided we would prefer not to run with it.”
He said officers would discuss with committee chairman Coun John Durrant when the issue would next be approached.
Michael Kissman, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said: “We are surprised and will look at the reasons. We do think we’ve still got a strong application in for the signage, cash machine and storage extension.”
Cambridge Evening News, 17th January 2008, printed edition
CAMPAIGNERS against plans for a Tesco store in Cambridge’s Mill Road have been given a last-minute stay of execution.
Planning chiefs at Cambridge City Council have taken the scheme off the table for Thursday night’s east area committee after deciding the report did not go into the issues in enough detail.
The decision has only just been made - taking campaigners and the supermarket giant by surprise.
Planning officers had recommended the plans for approval despite a massive public backlash against the idea.
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition against the plans, and more than 1,100 have written letters of objection.
Campaigners were expected to turn out in force to protest at Thursday’s council meeting which had been booked into a larger venue - St Philip’s Church in Mill Road - to make room for the large numbers of people expected.
But now the council has decided the planning reports were “not comprehensive” enough and said the applications will be debated another day.
The No Mill Road Tesco campaign submitted a complaint to the council saying the report was “flawed” .
A spokesman for the campaign said: “We are glad that the council have taken our concerns seriously with regard to the incomplete planners’ report.”
CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for a Tesco store want residents to make their feelings clear to councillors.
Members of the No Mill Road Tesco campaign say most of the public back their bid to stop the supermarket giant opening an Express store on a street known for its independent shops.
On Saturday, campaigners walked from Cambridge’s Guildhall to the proposed site of the store, the former Wilco building on Mill Road, encouraging people to attend the crucial council meeting where the final decision on Tesco’s plans will be made.
Cambridge City Council planning officers have recommended to the east area planning committee that it approve the scheme when it meets at St Philip’s Church on Mill Road on Thursday at 7.30pm.
Sonia Cooter, co-ordinator of No Mill Road Tesco, acknowledged that some residents do want the store but believes that view is misguided.
She said: “People think this will be like the Tesco on Newmarket Road, but it will be a Tesco Express.
“The shopping basket comparison on our website is completely genuine. It shows that independent stores on Mill Road are cheaper.”
Ms Cooter believes a Tesco Express would end the Mill Road shopping experience known to generations of Cambridge residents.
She said: “The special character of Mill Road is all based around small, independent shops.
“If people want to have their say, they should contact their councillor and they should come to the planning committee meeting.”
[This article mentions that some objections came from abroad; however, it fails to make clear that the vast majority of the enormous number of applications came from local residents. The Tesco spokesperson also fails to address the fact that there were no supporting letters submitted whatsoever.]
By Raymond Brown
Protestors against the new Tesco store.
CAMPAIGNERS against a Tesco store have been dealt a cruel blow.
CAMPAIGNERS are making a last-minute bid to sway councillors who will decide whether controversial proposals for a Tesco store in Mill Road, Cambridge, should go ahead.
The No Mill Road Tesco committee has sent a heartfelt open letter to members of Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee asking them to reject the proposals and “protect the vitality and viability of Mill Road”.
Tesco has applied for permission to extend the former Wilco building in Mill Road and install new signs and a cash machine to create an Express store.
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition against the plans, and more than 1,100 have written letters of objection.
But planning officers at Cambridge City Council have recommended the plans for approval.
Campaigners are not giving up hope.
The letter reads: “While you consider the planning officers’ reports and our detailed response to them, which we have sent to you, please also think about the following things:
“Tesco want to drive 10m lorries and other delivery vehicles the wrong way down a one-way street at least 30 times per week until 11 o’clock at night. Their ‘just in time’ policy means it is likely to be much more than that.
“The side streets of Romsey are already extremely congested and hazardous for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Tesco want to remove 18 car parking spaces from an area of Cambridge with huge existing parking problems, even though the store and its cash point would generate much more demand for parking spaces in the area.
“The Local Plan requires you to protect the vitality and viability of Mill Road. All the evidence shows that a Tesco Express would force small, independent businesses to close. In the words of one local trader: ‘I fear Tesco’s biggest impact will be on the independent spirit of Mill Road. We won’t be able to compete financially.’” They claim Cambridge is England’s ninth most Tescodominated town and ask: “Do we really want to help Cambridge move up that particular league table?”
The East Area Committee meets at St Philip’s Church, 185 Mill Road, tomorrow (Thursday, 17 January) at 7.30pm.
By Laura Jean Morris
Cambridge Crier, 14th December 2007
TESCO has been left red-faced this week after claiming it knew nothing of a 5,000-signature petition against its plans to open a Mill Road store.
A letter from the supermarket giant sent to a campaigner fighting plans for the controversial Tesco Express outlet, also said it would be opening its doors on January 25.
The letter was sent by a customer services executive on behalf of Tesco’s chief executive, Sir Terry Leahy.
However, no official opening date for the store, on the former Wilco site, has been set. Tesco has permission to revamp the existing site but is still in the process of applying for planning permission to extend it. It also wants to put up new signage and install a cash machine.
Sonia Cooter, from the campaign group No To Mill Road Tesco, said: “I was absolutely gobsmacked when I read the letter.
“At best it is incompetence and at worst arrogance and a total disregard to planning policy.”
The campaigners have been fighting against the branch opening, organising the 5,000-strong petition which was presented to Cambridge City Council, as well as a march in November which attracted more than 600 people.
A decision regarding the store’s extension is set to be made by the council in the new year.
The letter, sent in response to a complaint by one of the campaigners to Sir Terry Leahy, said “We will be opening a Tesco Express store in Mill Road, Cambridge on 25th January, 2008.
“We have no knowledge, as yet, of a petition having been made, nor of so many objections having been lodged, as planning permission has already been granted for this store.
“In addition, if people have taken the trouble to march in protest against such a small Tesco store opening, then clearly they feel very strongly about this issue, and this is something that we need to look into.”
A spokesman for Tesco, working on the local development of the store, conceded the letter was sent in error.
The spokesman said: “Unfortunately, the people who deal with this project on a day-to-day basis were not contacted.
“Some of the information that was included in this response from our customer service department is incorrect.
“As a company we receive a vast amount of correspondence and on occasion some letters do not get passed to the relevant person. We apologise that this response was sent out and would like to take this opportunity clarify some of the inaccurate information.
“We do not have an opening date for the store as the application has not yet gone to committee.
“We are aware there are elements of local opposition and we have met with their representatives. As a company we are always committed to meeting with the public.”
Ms Cooter said: “I am obviously pleased that Tesco has clarified the situation as regards the incorrect information in the letter.
“However, our fight does not end here. We do not want this store.”
Days that Tesco have been kept out of Mill Road:
433
(Counted from first East Area Committee date)
