Tesco now joining the party

So Tesco has snuck under the radar and has planning permission to expand its store to offer the full range of everything nearly every independent shop in Wadebridge sells. If we could have all these developments without risking what gives the town its life, there would be no need to fuss. We could invite a few more superstores than those already queuing up to join the party. But at some point these expanded out-of-town retail developments will obviously knock the heart out of the town centre. It is as inevitable as night follows day that they will do to Wadebridge what they have done to every other market town. Others say that we aren’t like other places, and so can absorb much more than they can. But are the benefits of out-of-town superstores worth the risk of being turned into the sort of hollowed-out town that most others have become?

Lovewadebridge isn’t behaving like a rabbit in the headlights as these developments roll down the track. It is important to accentuate the positive and make Wadebridge more resilient whatever comes along. For example we are working with others to establish free parking for all town centre shopping, developing a buy local loyalty discount scheme, and exploring opportunities for sustainable employment in the town. So while we are watching supermarket developments very closely, it is also crucial to focus on the bigger picture. We are giving as much attention to what we do want as to preventing what would be harmful. We need as much input as possible to make sure these ideas have as wide support as possible.