South Molton supermarket battle

By afoster

THE RACE to build a new supermarket in South Molton has moved up a gear with the news that another major chain is eyeing up the town.

Sainsbury's which has just taken over the old Somerfield store in New Road, has announced that it is keen to build a bigger supermarket on the central cattle market-car park site.

That increases the competition for Tesco and Morrisons which have already registered an interest in the area.

North Devon Council's executive is due to discuss the regeneration and development of the central area on Tuesday but it will be in the confidential part of the meeting.

Tony Cook, managing director of Storegap Commercial Ltd, Sainsbury's property consultants for the South West, said he hoped their interest would be reported at the meeting.

They are still going ahead with their plans for the old Somerfield store which will be re-fitted and re-opened as Sainsbury's later this year.

But Mr Cook said that in the longer term they would be interested in building a larger more modern store on the central development area.

He added: "We have expressed an interest both to North Devon Council and South Molton Town Council."

He pointed out that the Somerfield store was not the best of buildings and nearing the end of its economic life.

But Sainsbury's was limited over what they could do with the site as it was surrounded by residential development.

Tesco seem to be the front runner in the supermarket race as they already own the old Norrington yard site at the western side of the cattle market-car park area, which is North Devon Council's preferred location for a new food store.

But it has been fiercely opposed by the local RATS group (Residents Against Tesco Supermarket) and many others in the town.

Spokesman Diana Amory pointed out: "There have been various polls and at least two thirds of the town are against Tesco."

She hopes as many people as possible will attend the executive meeting, even though any decision will be taken behind closed doors.

She said: "We just want to get as many people there as possible to make the councillors aware of the strength of feeling and make them realise they should be doing something more than just holding it in private.

"This is something that affects so many people yet they are not even allowed to hear what the councillors are saying.

She added that local people were "really angry" about the fact that none of the councillors involved in the meeting lived in South Molton."

Steve Pitcher, executive director for the council, said: "Members will have enough information in front of them (at the executive) to enable them to make a decision on the future of the central area including appropriate food store partners.

"There are now three names in the frame. Nothing is ruled in or ruled out at this stage."