Dear Editor
Stratford District Council has included proposals for a supermarket to be built on the Norgren site in Shipston in its development strategy for the next 10 years. This can not be in the interest of local shopkeepers, local businesses or local residents.
The proposals will run contrary to two of SDCs own goals for Shipston - "Protecting and enhancing the character of the historic town centre" and "Improving local shopping facilities". Any new out of town supermarket will take much of the trade away from local shops which will lead to closures and to a severe decline in the local shopping facilities! The life and soul will be taken out of Shipston centre. It will put pressure on the roads of Shipston and will cause distress to those living close to the site.
A Transition Shipston study of an averge weekly family shopping basket (reported in your pages last year) showed that it costs virtually the same to shop in Shipston as in Stratford Supermarkets.
Why is such an important development not being given the attention it deserves? The district council has gone back on an agreement to have a public meeting in the Town about the issue and is having a "drop in session" at Clark House (the Town Council offices in Shipston) from 4-7pm on 30th March.
As a supporter of Transition Shipston which aims to help build a vibrant local economy based based on existing shops and businesses I believe that a decision as important as this deserves a full public meeting where local people can express the full weight of their concerns to the District Council.
Jo Ames-Rook
Jo
ReplyDeleteLet's go better than a public meeting. Let's have a referendum of all the townsfolk on whether we need a supermarket. However, I can assure you that the outcome will be the opposite of what you are looking for.