Pay up or sign town centre's 'death warrant'

Bryan Copland • Published 9 Feb 2012 09:30 33 Comments

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Traders want Sainsbury's to stump up £500k for High Street

A SUPERMARKET giant in pole position to build an out-of-town Haddington store should pay £500,000 to save the town centre from oblivion.

That's the view of hard-pressed town centre traders who have warned councillors they must secure the cash or "sign the death warrant for Haddington High Street".

Five years after plans were first unveiled for supermarkets at Haddington's western edge, the local authority is about to give its verdict on the town's store wars.

But it was warned at a meeting on Tuesday that direct help must be given to ensure town centre shops survive the competition.

Haddington Business Association (HBA) chairman Joe Forte said: "Should East Lothian Council approve the application from Sainsbury's for Gateside West, without securing a large payment for the town centre, they could be signing the death warrant for Haddington High Street.

"Our request [would be] securing funds in the region of £500,000 for shop front repairs and renewals, a Haddington development worker or similar, and a development trust for Haddington being set up."

A statement from the HBA later given to the Courier added: "Without a substantial financial contribution being made to the community groups of Haddington, we will continue fighting against any proposed out-of-town development."

Sainsbury's planning application for a retail store with a gross floor space of 3,700 sq. metres plus petrol station at Gateside West is its first in East Lothian.

It is favourite to be given the green light after the council previously identified that site, near the former Oaktree filling station, as its preferred location for out-of-town retail space.

But Tesco has lodged plans to build a store with a much-larger 8,108 sq. metres gross floor area and petrol station at neighbouring Gateside East, and to vacate its existing town centre store at Newton Port. It has also applied for a mixed residential, commercial and retail development at the Newton Port site.

However in a surprise announcement, it said it wanted none of the applications to be determined until the economic picture improved.

East Lothian's planning committee scrutinised the three applications on Tuesday, before a final decision is made by the full council on February 28.

HBA has objected to Tesco's plans as it wants Tesco to stay in the town centre.

Sainsbury's says that its store, which would create up to 200 jobs, will not have a "significant impact" on the town centre and is consistent with the approved recommendations of East Lothian Council's Haddington Retail Review.

Tesco, meanwhile, called for consideration of all retail developments to be put off until the economy is more stable - a stance which saw it accused of "brinkmanship" on Tuesday.

Planning officials will give recommendations on whether each of the individual applications should be granted or refused at the meeting on February 28.

They will also consider whether a financial contribution - such as towards upgrading roads or local area improvements - would be required from each developer to enable their plans to go ahead. Sainsbury's would comply with any legal obligation to provide a financial contribution.

However, should no requirement be in place, it is understood the retailer would not volunteer to fund Haddington town centre improvements as it does not believe its planned store - reduced in size from a previous application - will threaten town centre trade.

It also fears that such a payment could give Tesco grounds for appealing any planning decision which could go Sainsbury's way.

Speaking at the meeting, Jeff Wilson, Sainsbury's planning manager for Scotland, said his company's proposed store complied in its "entirety" with council principles.

He said Sainsbury's would work with the local community to "help draw trade into Haddington" but made no comment on HBA's plea for funding.

But Phil Pritchett, speaking on behalf of Tesco, told councillors: "In such insecure times, Tesco, Sainsbury's or this council cannot be clear on what actual effect a new out-of-town [development] will have on town centre trade.

"The most appropriate course of action is to consider all of the out-of-centre applications as being premature this time and concentrate resources to making sure that the town centre is as strong as possible, until there is an absolutely clear need to develop another store and the retail market is more stable - and Haddington itself is in a stronger position."

While unable to comment on the plans' merits until the February 28 meeting, Councillor David Berry (SNP) said to Mr Pritchett: "What you said is that: 'We will remove our planning application if Sainsbury's remove [theirs]'.

"That sounds like a bit of brinkmanship in my book. Am I wrong?"

Mr Pritchett said Tesco had "left our planning application in the process the same as Sainsbury's have done" and did not consider Gateside West "as even the best site for a supermarket".

County MSP Iain Gray has backed traders' calls for investment in the town centre to be secured.

He told the Courier: "I can't really see how you could possibly argue that a new supermarket isn't going to have an impact on the town centre, so my view would be that the council should try to secure some additional investment into the town centre to try to mitigate the results of that - no matter which supermarket was to receive planning permission.

"I think [the traders'] argument that a way should be found to ensure that there's additional investment and the work that they're doing to promote Haddington town centre should be supported."

Tuesday's meeting also heard from Haddington Community Council, Haddington and District Amenity Society, and local residents.

Sainsbury's plan had drawn three written representations before the meeting, but no objections; while 111 had objected to a new Tesco store, and 17 to the redevelopment of the Newton Port site.

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Someone
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Feb 9, 10:30
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Haddington town centre was planned out for a 17/18/19th century way of living, it is (sadly) no longer viable for an ever growing population, the big supermarkets have the upper hand in this!. A lot of the shops in Haddington town centre will be converted to flats/houses over time. For myself, I don`t call this progress, we are losing something, but then I don`t like this new way of living where everyone seems to place such importance on known "the price of everything and the value of nothing".

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East of East Lothian
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Feb 9, 10:41
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And so it rumbles on!!

Sainsbury's will probably have a minimal impact on Town Centre trade (apart from Tesco which could do with the competition frankly). This is even more the case since it reduced the size it's proposed store. Quality Haddington traders such as Kesleys , Malt Kiln and yes Fortés have nothing to fear.

Recommend? Yes 24 No 26
Socialist
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Feb 9, 10:56
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It will not just be Haddington that will suffer from the Sainsbury's development, Tranent, Prestonpans and Port Seton are only a ten minute car journey away, this will surely have a detremental affect on local shops in these communities.

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rethw
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Feb 9, 11:45
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So, correct me if I am wrong here, traders wish £500,000.00 for upgrade works to their shop frontages, is this not something that the owner/tenant should be doing by themselves, instead of sitting back complaining and looking for hand-outs.

Are the shop owners that naive to think that a new sign will all of a sudden make their business viable?

If either planning application is approved then through a section 75 or 69 agreement a sum of money can be paid to the council for what they see fit. However any monies that are paid should be for good causes and for the benefit of the local community, not towards some lazy shop owners that blame new development for the demise of their unsustainable business.

Recommend? Yes 31 No 24
Someone
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Feb 9, 12:29
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I wonder how much of the £500,000 will go on adminstration fees ?, will the shop owners have the right to choose their own builder or will they have to go to a council approved building contractor ?.We will have to see the small print on all this as to where ALL payments go (if it ever comes to fruition ?).

Recommend? Yes 4 No 2
Socialist
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Feb 9, 12:41
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Lets have real jobs in East Lothian rather than low paid retail jobs, this story is becoming boring.

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******
Feb 9, 13:40
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Someone
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Feb 9, 14:19
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"Lets have real jobs in East Lothian rather than low paid retail jobs"

Socialist, you don`t live upto your name!, you are getting your priorities the wrong way round, retail jobs are real jobs!, that they are low paid is the matter that we should address.

The death knell for Haddington town centre was on the cards when the co-op closed up shop and that was some years ago!. Having thought about this I can`t see how the supermarkets will agree to it, it sets a precedent for their future developments, they may even find some retrospective claims coming their way!. There again it may have happened before ?, although I have never come across it.

Recommend? Yes 4 No 4
grumpy56
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Feb 9, 16:45
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We (Tranent) would love to have Sainsbury in our town, we have no choice, co-op or nothing, how nice it would be to have the lovely choice of shopping in Sainsbury, come and see for yourself, there are a few derelict places to go, and I am sure we wouldn't be asking for £500k some people are never happy! it would also bring more people to our town centre, as we have to go to Straiton, the Gyle, North Berwick, or Musselburgh.

Recommend? Yes 15 No 16
MeTo
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Feb 9, 16:55
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I was down at Kelso last week where a new Sainsbury's has recently opened. It doesn't seem to have had much impact so far - but Kelso has a number of high quality niche shops that are unlikely to be affected by a supermarket. Traders have really got to stop thinking that everyone else owes them a living and start providing goods and services that people want to buy.

Recommend? Yes 14 No 10
Someone
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Feb 9, 17:46
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"we have no choice, co-op or nothing"

grumpy56, strange that, the good people of Rothbury (Northumberland) have the co-op, the only (small) supermarket in Rothbury, its very expensive to shop there or at most of the shops in Rothbury!, many of the residents go to Alnwick to do their weekly shopping at Morrisons, a round trip off twenty four miles (many have to do it by bus). A local was telling me that someone had put in an application to open a cheap mini supermarket in Rothbury but the Labour council had refused it!!!. The upshot is the co-op still has a monopoly in Rothbury, very hard on some people, especially the old and infirmed etc. You would think the Labour council would have welcomed that application for a cheap mini supermarket, strange that!. Of course they must have had their reasons, I wonder what they could have been!.

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Socialist
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Feb 10, 09:13
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grumpy56

I totally agree.

What Tranent needs is a vision, a plan to re-generate the town centre and to look at local employment opportunities.

Cllr Paul Mclennan has stated on various occassions that after Haddington, Tranent would be the next town to be looked at by ELC, yet another "big fib"

Cllr Currie to raise her profile stuck posters in the windows of the council offices at Civic Sq, that was over two years ago, whats happened, a consultaation where we were asked to stick comments on a map of Tranent High Street,yet we still have not heard the outcome.

The SNP are not intetrested in the views of the people of Tranent, they dissolved the Community Planning beacuse they did not trust the individuals involved, maybe because most of them knew what they were taking about.

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Haddingtonian
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Feb 10, 12:05
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Am I missing something here? Does it not clearly say in the article that this money was not only to go towards shop front repairs/renewals but also towards a Development Trust and worker for the town of Haddington? It would appear that traders in the town are looking at ways to help the town exist alongside Sainbsury, should it get the go ahead. Similar towns have such Develpment trusts that invest in events to bring people into the town, promote youth enterprise and help community groups in the town. So what's wrong with that?

I think the question you have to ask yourself is, do you want Sainsbury at the expense of the town centre? and do you really think that the supermarket giants of this country cannot afford to pay this into Haddington for the benefit of all? This type of payment is not unknown to "like" towns in the coutry.

Recommend? Yes 24 No 6
Sweetiepie
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Feb 10, 12:35
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Looking at the comments above, the local traders are losing the goodwill which they have built up in recent years. I'm not sure that the article does them any favours. Haddingtonian's comments are correct of course: it's not just a case of the local traders pocketing half a million pounds. At least I think it's not. But the article doesn't say how the sum of £500k was calculated, nor how it would be apportioned and critically who would control the proposed Trust and support worker. Who defines "benefit for all"? Some clarity on all of these issues can only help people make an informed judgement and perhaps the HBA can post something on their website to expand on their proposals.

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Meldrew
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Feb 10, 13:04
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I have to say I agree with bored, grump56 and MeTo, and a number of others. Who are Sainsbury's actually in competion with at the end of the day. Tesco. Not the local shop owners, as Sainsbury's don't generally stock what is available on Haddington High Street, primarily because it obviously doesn't sell. Maybe they might have been an issue if it was a bigger shop, but it won't be as they had to change the plan.

It can only be good for the consumer, which is what people in general from Haddington and from other towns also want. Giev me sainsburys, give me chioce. After all, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one....or Joe.

As for £500k, surely it is the responsible of the shop owners/land lords to maintain their own property. Are Tesco to chip in on this as well, as they sell similar products, so they must be taking away trade and have that responsibility. HBA needs to get a grip and sort themselves out, and the council are the ones who should be working to make Haddington a place to visit, not the supermarket chains.

Recommend? Yes 13 No 24
Frustrated Shopper
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Feb 10, 13:35
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Eloquently put, Meldrew.

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NICE
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Feb 10, 14:56
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Can I direct you to other towns where payments have been made through planning gain payments by the supermarkets, in fact lets have a look at Kelso, as Me to refers to, I believe a substantial payment was made there in additional to a normal planning gain payment, this went on town centre improvements, a Development Trust and other items like a piece of artwork! Whilst I totally believe that everyone deserves choice and as a consumer I truly welcome it, I don't think we should ignore the effect this will have on the social fabric of our town. This doesn't appear to be greedy traders moaning again, and I think its very wrong to personally attack someone this way, this appears to be traders tryng to help get the town ready to cope with change should it come. And like Meldrew I wonder, have Tesco's been approached to put something back into this town? Given the millions taken out of this town, why not?

Recommend? Yes 23 No 2
Socialist
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Feb 10, 15:07
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Actually nobody really knows what impact a Sainsburys will have.

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Jo Lochhead
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Feb 10, 15:16
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Totally missing the point, folks. At the moment, Tesco brings people to Haddington because of its position in the town centre. Sainsbury's, on the other hand, will not only draw people out of the town centre, it will also attract shoppers who prefer to drive, shop, and drive away again. These people will not come down into Haddington to visit the shops if they can get most of what they need in Sainsbury's. The effect that Asda had on Dunbar High Street was almost critical for the town. Did you know that Asda made a payment to ELC when their new store opened?

"After all, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one....or Joe." Very unfair indeed. Joe Forte is the HBA chair and works very hard in this role for the benefit of the whole community. As for "lazy shopkeepers" waiting for hand-outs, I am appalled that anyone could think this of our local shops and businesses. We are all doing our best in extremely tough financial times. I personally work 7 days a week, day and evening to run my business and try to offer something innovative and fresh for shoppers. We are all suffering in this recession and yes - it is the responsibility of owners and landlords to maintain their properties - but you know what? Most of us simply can't afford to. Who would argue against the idea of a facelift for Haddington town centre, the place where most of us work and live, and many of us were brought up? Only the most short-sighted of people I believe.

So - to all those people complaining, thinking Sainsbury's won't have any impact on the town centre, and that we are wrong to ask for a little helping hand to save our beautiful market town in desperate financial times - let's see you turn up at future meetings for 'A Vision for Haddington', let's see you support the fundraising campaigns for new Christmas lights and a new skateboard and bike park, let's see you joining the Community Council so you can have your say and do something about the situation.

Finally - if you feel so strongly - why leave an anonymous comment? To me that sums up the whole situation in a nutshell.

Recommend? Yes 34 No 11
Pat Lemmon
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Feb 10, 15:32
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Well said Jo, no need to add anything you've said it all regarding everything that traders are currently involved in and the eagerly awaited Vision Report..... incidentally we need more volunteers for this years fundraising for Christmas lights and volunteers are always required for the Haddington Festival and for helping with the teas and coffees at special events. The Haddington Bike and Skateboard project badly needs help fundraising now that land has been identified for the park. It is always the same few that step up and and try and do things to help their town. If anyone would like any futher information relating to any of the comments made here, please fell free to come in and see me.

Recommend? Yes 24 No 4
MeTo
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Feb 10, 15:48
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I agree that there is no excuse for personal insults. But shopping patterns have changed since the days when Haddington was truly a market town. People vote with their wallets and if a shop stocks what they want to buy they will get that vote. If not, there are plenty of other choices for the consumer. Also, you seem to be suggesting that because someone is in favour of Sainsburys coming to town this, in some way, means they do not take part in community fundraising or community projects. It seems to me this is just as insulting a comment as the reference to "lazy shopkeepers". Also, why does posting a comment using a screen name sum up the whole situation in a nutshell? It's common practice on community forums or people to use screen names. Doing so does not make their opinion any less (or more) valid than yours.

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Pat Lemmon
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Feb 10, 16:27
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Me to... yes everyone is entitled to their opinion and yes it is common practice to use screen names, I think when personal attacks and comments like "Lazy Shopkeepers" are made people are going to fight back and the fact that many businesses are involved in supporting projects within the town needed to be said. You are quite right people do speak with their wallets .... they are just whispering at the moment....

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MeTo
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Feb 10, 16:48
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Fair comment Pat.

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Someone
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Feb 10, 18:07
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You can`t compare Haddington to Kelso, Kelso has its low paid as does Haddington, but Kelso has a much larger population of wealthy people which is much greater then that of Haddington, many well off people retire to Kelso, its not like for like!.

Recommend? Yes 6 No 17
shoplocal
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Feb 10, 18:50
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Every one making fair comments for and against, not one mention as to the amount of charity shops that have good frontage to there shops,.

I always shop local for gifts etc, Tesco does need competion, and charity shops are now retail shops which is taking custom away from high streets owners, charging more for used goods than we pay in shops.

Recommend? Yes 13 No 0
Someone
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Feb 11, 10:28
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We may find Haddington town centre has a big role left to play yet. I read this morning that the Trussell Trust is looking to expand its operations from 163 in the UK to 445 by 2015 they will be looking for outlet shops to rent. They estimate that 1,000 are needed across the country (personally I think that is a gross underestimation!, time will tell).

Recommend? Yes 1 No 1
Linda Mitchell
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Feb 12, 11:02
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In recent years, the Haddington Business Association ("HBA") has worked tirelessly for Haddington to remain a bustling and interesting place in which to live and shop. We have worked on a number of issues during this period. For example many of our members played a leading role in fund-raising for Haddington's Christmas lights. During our campaigns, the support from the Courier and its readers has been significant and appreciated by all of us as we work to make our town the best it can be. This week's Courier coverage has raised some strong reactions and as an HBA member I wanted to clarify the HBA's position and why it is consistent with the role of the association.

There is no doubt in our minds that any award of planning permission for a supermarket at Gateside will have a negative impact on trade in Haddington Town Centre, but we have also consistently said that should permission be granted, we would want to work in partnership with the successful applicant. Few would argue that supermarket "chains" are amongst some of the most "cash rich" businesses in the country - Sainsbury's most recent accounts show an operating profit of over £700m and since then the company has issued buoyant trading statements. In this context, we believe that should planning permission be granted, our request that Sainsbury's make a "one off" contribution to Haddington of less than a tenth of one per cent of the company's profits is a reasonable one.

We feel that it would be helpful to clarify the various ways in which we would like such funding to be used and particularly that it is our aim that it should benefit the entire Haddington community. The vast majority of any payment would be put towards the establishment of a Community Trust, to provide funding for a number of projects which should be identified by the vision report for Haddington. The role of promoting Haddington as a place to shop, visit, (and critically) to invest in is one which has been shared on a part-time basis by various HBA members. We would like part of any payment to be used to employ a part time Development Consultant to bring professional skills to the role. Finally, we would propose that a residual amount is allocated to improving the appearance of a small number of buildings in the town centre. HBA's objective has always been to make Haddington Town Centre as good as it can be. We would be disappointed if your readers felt that we were seeking funding to be allocated to the direct benefit of our various businesses as nothing could be further from the truth.

Recommend? Yes 10 No 9
Someone
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Feb 12, 12:27
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"We would like part of any payment to be used to employ a part time Development Consultant to bring professional skills to the role."

I am sure we could find some suitably qualified, public spirited individual to do it on a voluntary basis (without being paid).

"Finally, we would propose that a residual amount is allocated to improving the appearance of a small number of buildings in the town centre"

I would think with the full amount of £500,000 we could facelift a large number of buildings in Haddington town centre!. I don`t like that word "residual", its so opaque!, what we need here are accurate facts and figures and specifications as to ALL building work to be carried out, along with all payments made.

Recommend? Yes 10 No 9
Someone
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Feb 15, 10:05
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Strange, you say something and a few days later...

"The upshot is the co-op still has a monopoly in Rothbury"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-16983849

"Socialist, you don`t live upto your name!, you are getting your priorities the wrong way round, retail jobs are real jobs!, that they are low paid is the matter that we should address."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/9695214.stm

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Socialist
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Feb 15, 10:24
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Someone

OK

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Someone
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Feb 15, 11:45
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Socialist, don`t worry about it, done the same myself, so much to think about we sometimes venture off the path, to come back onto it is all that matters.

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East of East Lothian
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Feb 15, 14:59
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Don't get me wrong HBA representatives - I love the town centre and support it whenever I can. I also support the Sainsbury's application. These positions are not mutually exclusive.

Anyway going off on a tangent - Market Street / Hardgate could be the new shopping hub. There's permission for two new shops at the Pheasant, there's a planning application for another 3 on the Conservative Club car park and it'll be interesting to see what's proposed for the Ideal Garage redevelopment.

Recommend? Yes 8 No 0
Socialist
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Feb 15, 15:08
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Domino Pizza,Spud-U-Like,Take a ways, Bookies, Hairdressers,Witherspoons.

Drink , Eat and be Merry and win a few quid on the horses

Recommend? Yes 3 No 2
Time to step up
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Mar 1, 13:20
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There are many examples of towns with attractive centres, good quality shops and amenities thriving despite the location of superstores on the fringes. Will Sainsbury sell beads and wool? Will Sainsbury sell the quirky items you find in the likes of the malt kiln, Kesley, Peter Potter? Will a cafe sell the quality of food you would find in The Avenue, The Waterloo Bistro or the Waterside Bistro..... Or the beautiful cheese and lovely coffee of Hillary's deli.... not to mention the farmers market. The list is endless and opportunities huge. Haddington shop keepers have a proven record of being innovative and united when promoting the benefits of the town centre and encouraging footfall, from social media to traditional advertising. This is an exciting opportunity to further evolve our town centre, to make it different and distinct, bring something new whilst enhancing, promoting and celebrating what we already have. Haddington town centre is a place for something different, something you will not find in Tesco or Sainsbury.... It is not competition. Let's encourage new shops to open up, make them different and give them support. It is how we react to those changes that will be define our town and quite frankly the negativity surrounding the Sainsbury decision is disappointing and defeatest. The rhetoric needs to change. Sainsbury, Tesco and the town centre can co-exist harmoniously and we should not be arrogant enough to assume that situations will not change. Come on Haddington, this is a great opportunity to celebrate and invest in our eclectic personality. Let's focus on the Town Centre not the fringes.....

Recommend? Yes 1 No 1

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