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Residents fear new Tesco store

6:30am Monday 14th April 2008

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By Chris Kearney »

A decision by supermarket giant Tesco to open its third Oxford store on the site of a disused pub has sparked concern among neighbours and shopkeepers.

Tesco has bought the boarded-up Friar pub in Marston Road, Marston, from restaurateur Clinton Pugh, who had previously planned to build shops and flats on the site.

Mr Pugh declined to say how much he had sold the site for.

Last night, Tesco spokesman Carol Lesley admitted an Express store had been mooted for the site.

The news caused concern among neighbours and traders who said they were worried the store would eat into their trade and have a negative impact on the area.

Marston Road resident Rebecca Teal said: "I'm absolutely gutted to hear they are building a store there.

"The original plans Clinton Pugh had for the site were much better and gave something back to the area.

"All this will do is add more money to the Tesco coffers."

Kathleen Kirby, who lives a few doors down from the Friar in Marston Road, said: "I would like some competition for the food shops, but not right on our doorstep.

"We are very loyal to Costcutter and if that goes because Tesco forces them out, then there will not be a post office in the area."

Ms Lesley added: "We have only just got the site, but I can confirm we will be working up a proposal for it.

"At this stage I would think we will be looking to develop an Express store on the site, which is the smallest type of store we have, aimed more at convenience shopping."

Crotch Crescent resident Mick Haines delivered a 1,000-signature petition to Downing Street in August, 2006, to keep the post office open.

He said: "We fought hard to keep the post office in Marston and we don't want to lose it because Tesco decides it wants to build a store here.

"If they start undercutting Costcutter - which they can afford to do - then it will go out of business and we will lose a vital service."

There has been a similar response from traders in the area, who now fear for their futures.

Sandra Kerwood of Seasons Delicatessen in Cherwell Drive said: "It will probably have quite a big impact on me.

"Small shops are being pushed out of another area and being taken over by multinational companies."

Pakeerathan Sivanes-arajah, manager of Costcutter in Old Marston Road, said: "A new Tesco would destroy the local community in this area.

"Whether it is Co-op or Costcutter, we are all going to suffer."

However, Ms Lesley dismissed these claims.

She said: "Shops like ours actually keep people in the area and can act as an anchor, with people linking shopping trips to other retailers.

"Retail is always competitive and always will be. At the end of the day it is good for the consumer and it keeps prices competitive."

Mr Pugh said he decided to sell the site to the supermarket chain after city council planners refused to back his plans for the site.

He said: "With the economy being the way it is, I don't have the time or money to fight planning officers.

"I've already spent more than £40,000 trying to get permission to develop the site of my Lemon Tree restaurant in Woodstock Road."

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Your Say YourOxford

Dilligaf, Hell's Gate says...
7:16am Mon 14 Apr 08

I was only yesterday reading an article in the Wiltshire Times, the retailers in Chippenham are welcoming the arrival of Tesco, how opinions differ

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andy, Oxford says...
8:06am Mon 14 Apr 08

Tescos can build a place in Botley anytime

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surfer, Torbay says...
8:55am Mon 14 Apr 08

Peaple in marston should welcom tesco,s with open arms.Costcutters been ripping you off for years,well over priced.

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joee, - says...
9:10am Mon 14 Apr 08

surfer wrote:
Peaple in marston should welcom tesco,s with open arms.Costcutters been ripping you off for years,well over priced.
this is why costcutters are worried! their cushy little number would be up!

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Marston Man, Marston says...
9:24am Mon 14 Apr 08

There is no way that Co-op,Costcutter,Bal
four and Tescos will stay open and we will probably end up losing the Post office in costcutter.I am really surprised at Clinton Pugh who is opening up a so called organic burger restaurant in Cowley road selling out to Tescos,I thought he had more sense,anyway where will everyone park?

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Jock, Headington Hill & Marston says...
9:33am Mon 14 Apr 08

Marston Man,

I think you can lay the blame squarely at the negativity of the planners to Clint's original plans. It seems they left little room for discussion. You cannot hold a small businessman to ransom and expect them to finance all the way through a long drawn out process of fighting with planners.

Not that I am saying "nod it through" but if you want that sort of local entrepreneurialism you need to not knock it back at the first opportunity.

The land register shows that Clint paid £400k for the pub and that it was mortgaged. A long drawn out planning case would have been exorbitant.

But anyone who lives near there will tell you of the regular problems with traffic, crossing the main road on foot and so on. It is difficult to see how a Tesco adding to that can be sustained. A very odd site for them to think feasible.

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Marston Man, Marston says...
9:49am Mon 14 Apr 08

It chaos with traffic outside costcutter and CO-OP already,perhaps buses from Northway should just go straight along Marston Road and not down Cherwell drive and up Old Marston Road like they did a few years ago,also Marston Road badly needs a pedestrian crossing in that area,seeing old people and children trying to cross is an accident waiting to happen,a new Tescos will increase the chances of more accidents.

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surfer, Torbay says...
9:52am Mon 14 Apr 08

Marston Man wrote:
There is no way that Co-op,Costcutter,Bal four and Tescos will stay open and we will probably end up losing the Post office in costcutter.I am really surprised at Clinton Pugh who is opening up a so called organic burger restaurant in Cowley road selling out to Tescos,I thought he had more sense,anyway where will everyone park?
The post office would move to the tesco,s and as for parking it would hve been the same as if mr pugh had put 6 units there with flats above.Becides it will only be a metro store not a hyper market and will appeal to the local area,in that case walk or cycle.

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davidmurray, oxford says...
9:53am Mon 14 Apr 08

The manager of Costcutter comments that "A new Tesco would destroy the local community in this area." Now the word "community" is one which is invoked more and more as a kind of moral talisman, rather than used a word conveying any cognitive meaning. But this is really stretching it ! What possible meaning can this word have, such that a 'community' can be destroyed by a new convenience store.

The only surprising thing about the predictable outrage that one commercial enterprise will be damaged by another is that no-one has yet suggested that Tesco will rise the 'carbon footprint' for the area. But, hopefully, we will not have long to wait before the Green clowns trip onto the stage.



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Tarbatt, says...
10:33am Mon 14 Apr 08

davidmurray wrote:
The manager of Costcutter comments that "A new Tesco would destroy the local community in this area." Now the word "community" is one which is invoked more and more as a kind of moral talisman, rather than used a word conveying any cognitive meaning. But this is really stretching it ! What possible meaning can this word have, such that a 'community' can be destroyed by a new convenience store. The only surprising thing about the predictable outrage that one commercial enterprise will be damaged by another is that no-one has yet suggested that Tesco will rise the 'carbon footprint' for the area. But, hopefully, we will not have long to wait before the Green clowns trip onto the stage.
What kind of drivel is this?

No-one has mentioned 'carbon footprint', so why are you complaining that they will?

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alan page, says...
10:36am Mon 14 Apr 08

davidmurray wrote:
The manager of Costcutter comments that "A new Tesco would destroy the local community in this area." Now the word "community" is one which is invoked more and more as a kind of moral talisman, rather than used a word conveying any cognitive meaning. But this is really stretching it ! What possible meaning can this word have, such that a 'community' can be destroyed by a new convenience store. The only surprising thing about the predictable outrage that one commercial enterprise will be damaged by another is that no-one has yet suggested that Tesco will rise the 'carbon footprint' for the area. But, hopefully, we will not have long to wait before the Green clowns trip onto the stage.
Mmm... will remember that when somebody protests that a planned course of action may possibly harm the local business "community".

Not too keen to see more corporate expansionism by Tescos myself. More than enough already.


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Edward, Oxford says...
10:40am Mon 14 Apr 08

What a fuss over a small Express store. I use Tescos and Sainsburys I also use the covered market where I can get the best fish and meat in the city. It's up to the consumer, just like the post offices use them or lose them.

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Neil, Oxford says...
1:28pm Mon 14 Apr 08

I don't think Mr Pugh is a saint in all this. If I remember rightly his plans for the site were ridiculous and were also attacked by Marston Road residents. They were never going to get through the planners and quite rightly so as they bore no resemblance to what was around them. He has bought quite a few new premises in Oxford lately and is probably just speculating on getting planning at them.

Either that or he has strched himself a bit too much on opening the burger place on Cowley Road, re-furbing Smolenskys and doing the Indian next to the Old School in Gloucester Green.

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Jock, Headington Hill says...
3:34pm Mon 14 Apr 08

You are probably right, Neil, and certainly the original scheme was not uniformly well received when it was put in the Oxford Mail for people to have a look at (nothing liek pre-empting the actual planning process by publicising them yourself first!).

There's been quite a bit of gamesmanship here. However I have long heard complaints about the planning process in particular from smaller businesses. Whilst planning should never be used to "protect" one type of business over another unless there are over-riding public concerns the process does not serve the smaller developer or businessman, or even householder, well who may be hocked up to the eyeballs and losing money hand over fist while they await committees and potentially appeals and so on.

Bigger businesses, like Tesco in this case, can often better afford to take such a hit with an eye on the longer term, but if you have everything tied up on a project that is in the long grass for months it can be extremely uncomfortable.

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eh, east oxford says...
4:54pm Mon 14 Apr 08

Anyone living in this area should show concern, we live close to their Cowley Road branch and the whole area is littered with Tesco's Trollys. It has a huge negative impact on our lives and Tesco have done nothing to prevent it. Infact they turn a blind eye and encourage it.

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Sid Hunt, says...
5:16pm Mon 14 Apr 08

This affair has a distinct aroma of profiteering. The pub should be reinstated and operated by landlords who will not run it into the ground as the previous incumbents. Perhaps Tesco can supply it with its discounted beers…

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Andy, ex marston says...
5:17pm Mon 14 Apr 08

I dont think it really matters what is put there as anthing would cause debate. Most of the traffic problems are caused by the influx of traffic caused by the hospital expantion just look at cherwell drive shops.Competition is good for any community as the co-ops prices are inflated to cover the hours it opens and as costcutter label suggests choice is limited. I think this will be good for Marston in general and that we do have a little nimby syndrome going on here. It will be interesting to see how many of the protesting people don't use the new shop when it opens, I would think it won't be many.

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jimbo, oxford says...
6:11pm Mon 14 Apr 08

LETS get the facts right Tesco will opn a store make the prices comparible with it`s large stores, then when all the local community shops have shut as they can`t compete guess what! the prices will be upped to the original local shops. AND THE WINNER IS £ESCO

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Duncan, Old Marston says...
8:18pm Mon 14 Apr 08

Although I welcome greater choice for residents, Tescos a law unto themselves. In some parts of the country they have disregarded planning regulations. Can we be sure that Marston won't be plagued with abandoned trollies and litter like the back of the Cowley Road Tescos? Tescos could use their financial power to price out the competition and then put their prices up when the competition has gone. Will we loose our post office if this happens? There are some people who have expressed concerns about Tescos in the past (including a member of Parliament) who have found themselves on the wrong end of their advertising campaigns

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p, ex-marston says...
8:58pm Mon 14 Apr 08

i think it would make food shopping in marston better, its cheaper than co-op, costcutter and balfour

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surfer, Torbay says...
9:15pm Mon 14 Apr 08

Andy wrote:
I dont think it really matters what is put there as anthing would cause debate. Most of the traffic problems are caused by the influx of traffic caused by the hospital expantion just look at cherwell drive shops.Competition is good for any community as the co-ops prices are inflated to cover the hours it opens and as costcutter label suggests choice is limited. I think this will be good for Marston in general and that we do have a little nimby syndrome going on here. It will be interesting to see how many of the protesting people don't use the new shop when it opens, I would think it won't be many.
Yes i agree andy all the one,s that oppose it will be the first ones in.I am sure all the mums will be in for cheap napies and blue stripe beans and the ow man will be there for the cheap white lightning.They will not be moaning for long.

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homer, springfield says...
10:38pm Mon 14 Apr 08

joee wrote:
surfer wrote:
Peaple in marston should welcom tesco,s with open arms.Costcutters been ripping you off for years,well over priced.
this is why costcutters are worried! their cushy little number would be up!
if anyone should be taken to court over trades descriptions, it is costcutter. their prices are well high compared to tesco. a bit of healthy competition does eveyone some good. each shop would have their own clientele, and may even complement each other

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Jock, Headington says...
11:29pm Mon 14 Apr 08

It would be nice to think that Co-operative customers would not be so craven. But judging by the relatively few people I seem to notice handing over a members dividend card when I am in the queue at the tills there it would probably not survive on its members' custom alone, assuming all of even them carried on using it. But I will be one of them. I am already equidistant from that little Co-op on Old Marston Road and the Cowley Road Tesco Metro effectively and I will always go to Old Marston Road Co-op for preference.

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andy, ex marston says...
12:36am Tue 15 Apr 08

Which ever way you look at it Marston is changing, the area is growing with many new developments taking place. The village lost its shop some time ago and housing is springing up everywhere. The actual population in Marston is growing at speed. The sense of community left many years ago along with the independently owned shops. I thnk that a few people are just hanging on to the remnents of Marston old and not embracing change. All people of Marston OLD and New would like it to stay as it was but I'm arfaid the boat for this one left a long time since.

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Roger, East Oxford says...
1:28am Tue 15 Apr 08

Tarbatt wrote:
davidmurray wrote:
The manager of Costcutter comments that \"A new Tesco would destroy the local community in this area.\" Now the word \"community\" is one which is invoked more and more as a kind of moral talisman, rather than used a word conveying any cognitive meaning. But this is really stretching it ! What possible meaning can this word have, such that a \'community\' can be destroyed by a new convenience store. The only surprising thing about the predictable outrage that one commercial enterprise will be damaged by another is that no-one has yet suggested that Tesco will rise the \'carbon footprint\' for the area. But, hopefully, we will not have long to wait before the Green clowns trip onto the stage.
What kind of drivel is this?

No-one has mentioned \'carbon footprint\', so why are you complaining that they will?
The point is that mention of an alleged higher "carbon footprint" is the kind of "drivel" that comes from the kind of people who hate Tescos, which has become virtually the new Macdonalds according to fashionable propaganda. Even if they sell organic fairtrade food at lower prices than elsewhere, it is assumed that Tesco's are an evil conspiracy making an unfair profit. It's almost like anti-semitism.

In East Oxford, Tesco's acts as a community centre, the nearest thing to a parish church that everyone goes to. But that area is one of those where "the community" is often hijacked to mean "Muslims". It is indeed a very flexible word . Tescos is multicultural anyway. Surely that is politically correct at least ?

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Tarbatt, says...
9:16am Tue 15 Apr 08

Sid Hunt wrote:
This affair has a distinct aroma of profiteering. The pub should be reinstated and operated by landlords who will not run it into the ground as the previous incumbents. Perhaps Tesco can supply it with its discounted beers…
Dead right - The Friar should re-open as a pub. It could be very successful.

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John Buchan, Northway says...
10:09am Tue 15 Apr 08

How will Tescos make deliveries on that busy corner?

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Ray, Oxford says...
12:36pm Tue 15 Apr 08

I see the anti-Tesco lobby is out once again.

The real troublemakers here are surely Oxford City Council who obviously opposed Mr Pugh's plans and why should he fight a losing battle? Besides, Balfour is owned by Co-op Group and the other Swift Shop is a Midcounties Co-op store, so they are effectively competing with each other. Costcutter has a branch close to Tesco in Cowley Road and seems to do fine.

We also have another seven or so Co-ops, three Iceland's, two Somerfield's and three Sainsbury's in and around Oxford so I really can't see the problem overall. better than the pub lying empty and becoming derelict surely??

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Richard Barrett, Cowley says...
2:30pm Tue 15 Apr 08

Not so far away is a village called Gerrards Cross, a Tesco store was planned and against opposition of the local people was given the go-ahead at government level being built over the railway cutting made by the 'navies' 100 years ago.

There construction failed collapsing on the railway narrowly missing a train with passengers, the Birmingham - London line was closed for six months the site is still in limbo and is an eye-sore, with multi million pound law suits going through the courts and this has been going on for ten years!

So who were right the local people or the politicians?

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hammers fan, marston says...
3:38pm Tue 15 Apr 08

bring back the pub!!

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Roger, East Oxford says...
2:37am Sat 19 Apr 08

Richard Barrett wrote:
Not so far away is a village called Gerrards Cross, a Tesco store was planned and against opposition of the local people was given the go-ahead at government level being built over the railway cutting made by the 'navies' 100 years ago.

There construction failed collapsing on the railway narrowly missing a train with passengers, the Birmingham - London line was closed for six months the site is still in limbo and is an eye-sore, with multi million pound law suits going through the courts and this has been going on for ten years!

So who were right the local people or the politicians?
It's very interesting, but I don't think this is going to happen at Marston.

You should get a medal for the best attempt at Tesco doom and gloom, so fashionable at the moment.

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Jackie Smith, West Midlands says...
11:07pm Sun 17 Aug 08

What a surprise to read this item, Tesco are building an Express on a public house that has closed. It's in a quiet neighbourhood with a 10 minute walk to a shopping centre with everything you need. They want licensing from 6am to 11pm, let the fun times begin! I think not. We have a lot of elderly residents in this area who could well do without it.

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Mick Haines with local people at the Friar pub in Marston Road Mick Haines with local people at the Friar pub in Marston Road

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