Comments on: Nairn news: in demand again!

By: Jon Lane

Jon Lane — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:22:58 +0000

I imagine that Tesco is simply putting a little pressure on the other players. Look at how much news coverage they have got from the mere mention of their name. The big boys have no interrest other than hard cash. If Tesco can worry Sainsbury’s by suggesting they might come out to play then they will have got a result. Sainsbury’s might then take fright and go else where rahter than risk a fight.

By: Fire Eater

Fire Eater — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:29:44 +0000

My big concern is that Tesco would want to acquire the fire station ground with the offer to relocate the fire station. Nairn is very lucky to have its fire station in the centre of town on the main road. Bearing in mind Nairn fire station is crewed by retained fire fighters who only attend the fire station to answer emergency calls when we are alerted via our bleepers, moving the fire station out of town (Balmakeith Industrial Estate being a likely location) would, I believe, increase our response time by at least 5 minutes (that is doubling the current response time) when the road is quiet, I could only guess at the time it would take between 3.00pm & 6.00pm when the town is at a stand still. I don’t think I would be far wrong if I guessed 15 to 20 minutes.

By: nairnbairn

nairnbairn — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:58:44 +0000

Spoiling tactics? By Tesco? What a heretical thought…

But if their intentions are serious, then this would really be a disaster for Nairn. There’s nothing wrong with competition between supermarkets, and choice for the consumer. A Sainsburys at Balmakeith might not be unduly bothered by having Tesco as a rival. But think what a Tesco on the bus station site would mean:

- traffic chaos. With only the existing bus-stop/parking area on that side of the A96, the additional congestion would be severe. No doubt the planners would once again suggest yet more traffic lights, or a Leopold Street roundabout, to handle this…

- a major threat to the High Street shops. At least redevelopment of the Somerfield site would necessarily be linked to, and integrated with, the High Street to enable shoppers to walk – as they do now – from the supermarket to the banks and the High Street shops. A supermarket on the other side of the A96 would have no such links. People would pull in to that side of the road, shop, and drive on.

- an unwelcome precedent. Apart from the ugly pizza shop, there is no retail on the west side of the A96 in that part of the town. Once a supermarket is built there, the pressure for a filling station and other retail units will become irresistible, and there would be demands to leave space free at the front for buses etc. This would result in…

- A serious threat to the remaining Viewfield green space. Ironically, although the bus station and fire station do not exactly enhance the Viewfield area, they do at least shield it. Imagine what impact a Tesco-style retail building there would have! In no time there would be calls to “fill in”, or tarmac over, the space between the bus station site and the bowling club/museum – either to create more retail units, or to increase parking away from the A96.

- the closing off of other, more sensible options. At present the Viewfield area with recreation clubs and community facilities, is essentially public-amenity space (not counting the police station, which one hopes does not generate huge “footfall” or traffic!). Some architects/planners – such as the Princes Trust people – have offered imaginative visions for opening up and connecting the Viewfield/museum area to the rest of town in ways which will offer new vistas and pedestrian access to this green space. Permitting the spread of retail park units to the west side of the A96 would be perverse and short-sighted.

The solution to the derelict bus station problem is to demolish it – it is already a health and safety hazard – and to refurbish and perhaps extend the perfectly decent stone building behind it (currently a Council store?) so that this original building could serve a useful public purpose: Parks office? Tourist information centre? Burgh service point? Arts and festivals office?

But whatever happens, no Tesco at the old bus station: that would simply make the current bad situation on that site infinitely worse.

By: Gurnmeister

Gurnmeister — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:41:49 +0000

‘I do wonder, frankly, at the motives of Tesco for the rumour of its desire to acquire the bus-station site in Nairn being revealed just at this time; are they trying to scupper the Sainsbury application? ‘

You are not alone Bill

By: Brian Turner

Brian Turner — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:01:20 +0000

Thanks for the details, Bill – sounds like something of a supermarket war in play.

By: Bill (Scotland)

Bill (Scotland) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:47:34 +0000

Safeway and its predecessor company Finefare were in Inverness long before Tesco ever came here; it is of course now Morrisons and operates out of the former main Safeway premises adjacent to the Eastgate centre. Tesco in fact arrived in Inverness when it acquired the Dundee-based supermarket chain William Low, whose store at the time was the present Tesco store in Tomnahurich Street – at the time it was an almost new store and which it gradually rebranded as a Tesco outlet. The Inshes Tesco resulted from the acquisition of the former Co-op store, many people think (and I am one of them) it did this only to thwart the efforts of Asda to come to Inverness, which both it and Safeway succeeded in doing for quite a few years – indeed its planning application has also been ‘called-in’ by the Scottish Executive (aka ‘Government’).

I do wonder, frankly, at the motives of Tesco for the rumour of its desire to acquire the bus-station site in Nairn being revealed just at this time; are they trying to scupper the Sainsbury application? Like most people, I expect, I do a fair bit of my shopping at Tesco, ‘faute de mieux’, but if there were a Sainsbury (or even a Waitrose – we can dream, can’t we? – lol) it would be no contest for me.