A Letter to Tesco

Peter Milne copies us in on this letter he sent to Tesco after discovering his online views were not accepted...

Dear Mr Kissman,

As your tescostalbans web site is refusing to accept comment from anyone selecting 'no' to a supermarket in St Albans I'll have to respond to some of your recent comments by email.

"We are consulting local people and reviewing our proposals following the many comments we've received..."

Well, you haven't consulted me, even though you seem to be proposing to destroy a fine row of listed houses to build a wall of flats opposite my house and my neighbours' that will destroy our view of the city skyline and ruin an interesting Victorian street.

"...We've not heard from everyone - some have refused our offer to view the proposals and comment despite campaigning against them".

I'd be delighted to see the detailed proposals and comment on them - but you haven't chosen to share any details with us.

"Stop Tesco is not interested in what is best for St Albans but only in blocking Tesco."

Stop Tesco is against the proposed development, not against Tesco. If Waitrose were proposing it, we would be 'Stop Waitrose'.

The campaign is very much about what is best for St Albans as we have no other vested interest. You are in no position to tell us what is 'best for St Albans'.

I've lived in St Albans for 30 years and think I have some idea what we need. How long have you lived here? While there has always been some public demand for a city-centre supermarket (and a department store), the three supermarkets that have been genuinely in the centre have all failed for lack of trade (Cater, Presto, Gateway). Your proposal is even more doomed to fail as it is not in the city centre (whatever you may think) and would be much harder to access by car than your competitors. You cannot possibly believe that enough people will try to drive through or into St Albans to reach this site, when they have the choice of far more car-accessible supermarkets in the area, including a very accessible Tesco at Hatfield.

The London Rd / Alma Rd area would benefit greatly from a Tesco Metro store, which would be accessible on foot by several thousand people but the main need for the site, as the District Plan says, is for housing and a primary school. I am sure you are aware that planning permission has previously been granted for that and sincerely hope that you will consider this option for the site rather than damaging the area and the city with an utterly unsuitable supermarket development.

Thanks for doing this!