Local resident Chris Adkins writes in the St Albans & Harpenden Review of the need to support the 1,000-year old markets in St Albans. He points out that recent traffic chaos, rent rises, increased car parking charges and the closure of central toilets all threaten the markets.
Added to this, he writes,
"In contributing to trader confidence, it is impossible to ignore the threat from Tesco. A Government report (ISBN 0117534781) says 'our research shows that even the potential threat from an out-of-centre foodstore can adversely affect retailer confidence'."
And of course Tesco is increasing the uncertainty by refusing to go ahead and actually submit plans for the Eversheds site, or to sell the land to committed developers. It is now approaching five months since it began 'consulting' local people - five months of uncertainty for traders and five months during which the site has fallen further into disrepair.
Stop Tesco will be at the Sunday Farmers' Market this weekend - please support us there.
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