The news today that Tesco Metro in the Chantry Centre is to close on the 30th June is a big blow to the town centre.
Cllr Tony Hooke, UKIP Hampshire County Councillor said: “This news is devastating not only for the 57 people who will potentially lose their jobs, but also for the surrounding businesses. Tesco has one of the most advanced retail intelligence systems in Europe, and at this moment in time they can clearly see no future in that area.”
He went on to say “As a company, Tesco have a responsibility to our wider community. In recent years, they have opened numerous sites around Andover and extended their operation at River Way. With this in mind, I shall be writing an open letter to Tesco, asking them to reconsider their position.”
“As of this afternoon, Liz Ferla will be launching one of her famous petitions. Although this is not the time to apportion blame, I must highlight the fact that I asked TVBC to take action 2 years ago, to help support businesses in the town centre. Had they acted then, potentially this crisis could have been averted. Rest assured, Tesco and TVBC have not heard the last of this.”
Run down, small outdated stores and lack of choice – is it any wonder Tesco is pulling out. I am afraid to say that the only way to reverse the decline of Andover town centre is by re-developing it to provide a more, desirable and quality retail offer. I am afraid Liz Ferla can instigate all the petitions in the world, however these will be completely ineffective at bringing about any change as they have proven to be so far. Tesco are no doubt leaving The Chantry Centre as it is no longer viable for them to operate the store in question. All said and done, mediocre efforts lead to mediocre results, as we can all clearly see. Andover has a bright and prosperous future, but only in the hands of talented and innovative people, not the jobing amateurs we have at the moment.
So sad, so unnecessary. If only Ian Carr had listened 2 years ago, this could have been avoided. He is so arrogant and so out of touch with what is happening in this town. He should just resign now. What good are trees in planters in a town centre that has no shops, no sign of life, no customers, no direction?
Maybe it will make way for something worth having. Andover has turned into a town of supermarkets, phone shops and charity shops – there is no compelling shopping for quality clothes. TVBC need to attract some better retailers or it will become a redundant shopping area like so many others!
I actually agreed with him, up to this ridiculous line: “Rest assured, Tesco and TVBC have not heard the last of this.” – Tesco are a business, not a charity. If it’s no longer a viable option then they have every right to close the store. Blame the council, blame the owners of the Centre but you can’t blame a company for deciding not to keep losing money.
This is just a UKIP stunt to look like they are doing something when they can do nothing. They know full well that TVBC can not do anything to stop this as they have no authority over independent business. Just a ploy to once again point fingers with empty and pointless accusations.
UKIP are not the ruling power in TVBC, think you need to look closer to home x
The Council CAN do something, or should I say SHOULD of already done so. Lower the Business rates on the properties within the town center for a start. How about the extortionate rates on rent?? No smaller independent business’s can afford to thrive here, hence the reasons for Chain Stores, Chairty Shops (who have thier business rates dropped) and Coffes shops (of which again are usually part of a larger chain)
This is why the center has lost it’s stores, offices and other business’s. Larger companies no longer find it viable to be in the town center due to lack of trade and a low pop cap, also chucking up a tonne of houses to increase the pop cap of andover to do so is not the best option either! Towns like Andover need unique, independent stores to give it character and choice… of which brings outside customers looking for a different variety, a good bargain or something just that little bit different.
The petition should be to drop/lower the business rates and encourage new local, independent and unique stores to the area… NOT LARGE CHAINS!
That is my opinion 😀
I think everyone who is blaming Ian Carr and / or TVBC are showing a real lack of understanding as to how local government works. Tesco, the same company that has actually created many jobs in the town, is simply closing its high street store as a result of making a commercial decision. If you are all to blame Cllr Carr / TVBC for Tesco’s closure then you must at the same time credit him with the opening of the ASDA superstore! Many of you all think that TVBC have magical powers to force retailers to come to Andover! I am sure that there are numerous local authorities up and down the country that wished they had the power to control the likes of Tesco! In reality, there are many dynamics at play leading to the demise of our town centre, along with many others around the UK – we cannot continue to blame TVBC for everything!
Michael, was it not TVBC who stopped the parking in the high street? Is it not TVBC who sets the ridiculously high level of car parking charges for the inferring that Andover town has? Is it not TVBC who has failed over the past 2 years to do anything proactive for the town? Is it not TVBC who has allowed a restaurant to place tables and chairs on the Crimea war memorial at the top of the high street? Was it not TVBC which sold 60% of the chantry centre to AXA in the first place? Is it not TVBC that has failed to act on the ridiculously high rates in the town? Is it not TVBC that sponsors Andover town council to the tune of £140,000 per year?
Roisone, it was indeed TVBC that stopped parking in the High Street. Your comment about parking charges being ‘rediculously high’ is your subjective opinion. By most standards, the parking tarrif in the town is pretty reasonable.
Your comment about TVBC failing to do anything proactive for the town in the last two years is again your opinion. When I drive around Andover I see new housing estates, new business parks and efforts to regenerate existing sites, and a generally pleasant environment. All of these have been initiated in part by TVBC.
There are tables and chairs surrounding the war memorial – can’t see a particular issue with this. After all, we now have a reasonable restaurant in a previously under-used building.
TVBC did in fact sell 60% of The Chantry Centre to AXA. It is in neither TVBC’s or AXA’s interest for the centre to fail. Much of the issue is that the town centre is far too small, and far too constrained to now serve the needs of the town. Footfall in the centre is low because it is of a very small size by modern standards, and even the stores that are here have a very limited offering in comparison to their neighbours in competing centres.
This is not the fault of TVBC or AXA, it is because the constraints of land availability, listed buildings and a lack of private investment has heavily restricted the centre’s ability to grow and modernise.
I agree that rates could be lower, however, reducing business rates is more a case of treating the symptom rather than the cause.
TVBC do sponsor Andover Town Council to the tune of £140,000. I gather that you do not consider this a worthwhile investment… In all honesty, I view the town council as being of little to no value. Notwithstanding, £140,000 is quite a small amount in the grand scheme of things.
Just a quick clarification, TVBC don’t sponsor the Town Council. We have our own income collected through Council Tax. TVBC have no authority or power of the Town Council.
I don’t live in Andover, but I work in Andover and I spend a lot of time there.
The parking charges are incredibly cheap compared to somewhere WITH shops like Southampton or Salisbury for example. I really cannot see why the parking charges are thought of as a reason for the lack of consumer interest and/or the extinction of the shops in Andover.
Everytime I visit the High Street, there are fewer shops and a reduced reason to visit the town. The remaining shops are so tiny that they are not even worth venturing in to – they have such limited stock!
The Chantry Centre Tesco is the only Tesco in Andover that does not have it’s own car park, or some means of parking nearby. How many people will want to carry several bags of shopping to their cars from the High Street? When, just down the road, there is an Extra store, with more choice AND an enormous car park right outside.
As for the new bus station – this seems to me to be a means of transporting Andovarians to other towns or cities where there is an abundance of large shops with plenty of choice!