Thai friends share Tesco news

Seaton opponent to new Tesco store reveals what Thais told him.

I recently became ‘friends’ on Facebook with two gentlemen of a similar age to myself who live in different parts of Thailand.

We were chatting online and the subject matter came around to Tesco supermarkets. I mentioned that the construction of one had started in Seaton.

Well, guess what? They both said that Tesco (‘Lotus Tesco‘) had opened in their areas and others around Thailand. They complained that a result of the supermarkets opening was that the small grocers, butchers and other shops they had been going to had closed.

Does it sounds familiar? Some of you may remember that, some time ago, I wrote letters explaining my opposition to the now unstoppable construction of Tesco in Seaton.

I had written to district councillor Ray Franklin, asking if he had a ‘plan B’ - if the small traders were negatively effected by the supermarket. He replied that he and EDDC believe that the supermarket would, in fact, attract people to the town centre.

I have since noted that Wadebridge has rejected plans from both Sainsbury’s and Morrisons on the grounds it would cause shops in their town centre to close. I quote from a local Wadebridge newspaper “Councillor Jeremy Rowe said the expected impact on the town centre was too important to ignore“.

I’m sure that Cllr Franklin and EDDC are secure in the knowledge that, if ever they get to go on holiday to Thailand, they will be able to shop in Tesco but not in a traditional Thai small shop.

Steve Williams

Seaton