Council must drop Tesco

Larne Traders’ Forum is in no doubt that the closure of Costcutter with the loss of 40 jobs is a direct result of the opening of the ASDA store at Redlands and claimed that last week’s bombshell will only be the tip of the iceberg, if further out-of-town retail development is allowed.

The forum, which maintains jobs created at out-of-town retailers are not “new” but the result of “displacement”, this week offered to enter in to a “meaningful partnership” with the council in a bid to secure the long term future of the existing town centre. However, the business body is also adamant that the local authority must turn its back on the 5.1 million plan to sell off Inver Park to Tesco for an out-of-town food store; and that it must act on its adopted policy of supporting town-centre-first regeneration in Larne.

Chairman John Shannon described last Thursday as “a very sad day for Larne”. He described the Costcutter store owner John Murray as a “highly respected member”, adding: “We in the forum are deeply saddened by events and offer him our support.

“We are also extremely angry that this situation has been allowed to develop and concerned about the domino effect it will have on other shops and businesses, as well as the jobs of many more people. It also means there is less consumer choice in the town.”

The forum has been at odds with the council since the local authority declined to object to planning permission being granted for the ASDA outlet, arguing that the move flew in the face of the council’s stated support for draft PPS 5, which calls for sequential redevelopment of towns from the centre out, before any out-of-town building is considered.

Both bodies support the new Larne town masterplan, but the forum says council decisions have not always reflected that position either. They point to the move to defer a decision on County Hall’s intention to approve a larger food store on the Co-op site – which is inside the development boundary – and the ongoing contract negotiations with Tesco over Inver Park.

Mr Shannon said: “The council clearly committed itself to PPS 5, but the first time it was challenged it fell down and as far as we are concerned they have not stood by their commitments.

“We warned on numerous occasions what would happen if out-of-town development was allowed and look what has happened.”

The chairman said Larne Traders’ Forum “is not against multi-nationals coming to Larne, but as we have said many times there are two conditions: firstly that the location must be right, with adequate linkages to other shops and services; and secondly that the footprint of any proposed store must be carefully researched”.

It appeared to the forum, however, that its advice had been ignored and an opportunity missed.

Mr Shannon said: “Larne lacked retail development for about 25 years because it had a poor image. Now that it is ready for redevelopment, we have an opportunity to get it right but unfortunately we have fallen in the same potholes as other towns, like Carrickfergus where out-of-town redevelopment has been at the expense of the town centre and Ballymena, where Tesco moved from the centre to an out-of-town site, with catastrophic effects on smaller businesses that depended on the footfall the town centre store generated.

“Now Larne Council will have to explain its decision-making process, such as supporting retailing at Redlands for the first time and the joint venture with Tesco for yet another out-of-town food store at Inver Park.

“Up to now, everything has been about opinions, but jobs losses amount to hard facts and it’s happening right now.”

Asked if the forum’s favoured option, development of the Co-op site, would not have had the same impact on Costcutter, Mr Shannon replied that the Circular Road location offers better town centre linkages than Redlands

“Where linkages exist, people go to a store and filter out to other businesses,” he said. “For instance, if you were to go ASDA and didn’t buy meat there you would have the opportunity to take your choice from two or three butchers in the town centre. You could also go to the post office, or the bank etc.

“Linkage is extremely important because it means there is a constant hive of activity and passing trade.

“On the other hand, where a store is quite far out of the town centre, people will drive there and do all their shopping there and will not go to the town centre. That is precisely why the multi-nationals want to set up in these locations; and because there are people like John Murray who tell them to come in to the town centre and they will compete with them, but on an even playing field, paying town centre rates and all the rest.”

Mr Shannon appealed to shoppers to support the traders: “I think it’s important that the people of Larne shop in Larne and support the local retailers, who give a good service and value for money on a great selection of goods. People have to be aware that without their support more businesses will go down the plughole. There are hundreds, thousands even, examples across the UK where the high street has closed for business and people then ask why their town is dying.

“At the moment, people have a choice, but if they don’t support the town traders, they will not have that choice.”

The traders’ forum will ask to meet with planning officials to discuss the outstanding proposals for out-of-town development.

In the meantime, the body will urge Larne Borough Council to reconsider its position on the Inver Park sale and offer a partnership, based on mutual respect and on the vision for Larne set out in the new masterplan.

“We would call on the council to work in far closer proximity with the business people in the town; to develop an effective relationship and not one in which we are ignored and told how things are going to be,” said Mr Shannon.