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D-day for tesco
The Alexandra Arms, Whelley, where building work is taking place
FOOD giants Tesco will finally have their controversial scheme to transform a landmark Wigan pub considered by councillors this week.
The high street giant now hope the site of the Alexandra pub - named after the famed former colliery which once stood opposite - could re-open as one the latest of more than 1,285 Tesco Express stores across Britain by mid-summer.
Planners are controversially recommending it be approved.
But to do that they will have to win a battle with protesters led by Aspull New Springs Whelley and Vice Chair of Planning Coun John Hilton who has been fighting “tooth and nail” against any such retail development because it is directly opposite the entrance to the Canon Sharples Primary School.
He has accused Tesco of “Trojan horse tactics” to get stores without applying for retail planning permission.
Tesco insist that they were saving a closed-pub site from falling into further dereliction while providing a “popular” shopping amenity.
Their corporate affairs spokesman Matthew Magee said: “This investment is a sign of our confidence and belief in Whelley.”
They also say that it will mean that a pub that has been closed for three years and a site that was facing an uncertain future will not become the type of eyesore on their doorsteps which many residents feared.
Coun Hilton, a school governor at Canon Sharples, claims the redevelopment would “keep parents of pupils awake at night” with worry.
He said that it appeared that the pub company had applied for planning permission and then Tescos had “come in on the back” of the scheme.
Coun Hilton warned that under the planning laws they don’t need a change of use’ application to re-open the building as a supermarket, but they do need permission if they have to alter the building “significantly”.
He said: “Surely this is one of the worst places possible that you could place a Tesco Express.
“This is because fundamentally their business plan is to attract quick passing trade from motorists who maybe have just remembered that they have forgotten something from their main shop.
“So you are going to get a constant stream of vehicles moving in and out directly in front of the entrance to a primary school.
“It is also a highways problem because the entrance any customers would use if they get away with this is on a blind bend and falling gradient on both sides.”
The disputed site sits, he pointed out, on ‘Safe Route to School’ scheme with a dedicated lollipop crossing.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 36 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Diddy365
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:33 AMMy 2 daughters go to the school opposite and I would rather there be a Tesco opposite than a pub. It’s bad enough walking past (Yes, I walk my kids to school so wouldn't be blocking the car park with my car) the White Lion with their "Cliental" standing outside drinkingsmoking. I for one welcome our new Tesco Overlords
whelleyman
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 05:37 PMlocal residents might get double yellows outside there homes to cause more parking problems...but as tesco say every little helps,,
sauvignonstu
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 01:28 PMDon't worry about increased traffic flow, now all the parents who pick the kids up in cars will park on the car park, and relieving traffic conjestion. When the local shopper wants to go shopping, they won't be able to park at that time due to the school run pick up, so they will start to park in side streets and the like and conjest the houseing estates!!
emjaydee
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 12:30 PMLOL...at the rate they are building it, it will be finished at the end of the week.
WTF?!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 05:23 PMTesco have more money and better lawyers than Wigan Council. If the Council object and it goes to appeal and they then loose on appeal to Tesco. WC end up paying all of Tesco's legal costs, therefore, it's easier to just let Tesco bulldoze their way through the local communities.
Maverick 69
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 04:49 PMIf Councellor Hilton or the Planning team would have looked a little deeper into MNA Pubs, they like us would have found out that MNA Pubs run NO pubs whatsoever and every one they bought was sold to tesco!! Also, the guy who is named as a director of MNA Pubs has the same name of the site procurement manager at tesco, coinsidence or what!!!!
Scarecrow
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 08:49 AMGreenfingers Not surprised in the least as the owner and his son are arrogant and ignorant.
Scarecrow
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 08:44 AMmartinrthornley Its people like yourself who need to get out more and perhaps pubs like the Alexandra would still be running as a pub.
martinrthornley
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 09:39 PMwhats the problem its very convieniant its better then a disused pub just standing there......i bet that you haters will end up going in there, some of you want to get a life and get out more....objecting over a store!!!!!
phillykenny
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 09:03 PMthe main issue here is the rise in obesity of single mothers aged between 18 and 35. we all know whats going to happen here,they are going to drop the kids off at school then nip in to tesco express for a pint of milk and some cigs and end up buying a 5 litre tub of neopolitan ice cream,a two litre bottle of coke and a family dipper bag of doritos,then they are going to go home get back in there pjs and lie in bed eating ice cream with a big giant wooden spoon and crying at the same time whilst watching jeremy kyle,i really hope the tesco planners have thought this through because it really is getiing to crisis point and its no laughing matter
greenfingers
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 07:32 PMPost 25, I don't,can't wait for it to open, it will save me petrol by not going to main store, and even more by not getting ripped of at the local shops. I do have a gripe with one of the shops, he is Asian and my son is in the army, he had just returned from Afgan and when he went into shop to buy something the first words out of the shopkeepers mouth was hello have you not been blown up yet,I complained to police but nothing they could do ,as no witness so it would give me great pleasure to see thi shop go out of business.
Lomra Greener
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 05:12 PMIf you don't like it - don't shop there. Tesco are mercenary sods. If it doesn't make money, it will go.
greenfingers
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 04:02 PMI for one will glad to see the back of Spa, they are nothing but rip of merchants, and the others are not far behind either.
Scarecrow
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 09:07 AMMany of the parents drop and pick up their kids in cars, because they may not live in the area of the school. As for the proposed store, why is it that like other Tesco Expresses, they have not knocked the pub down and built a modern store like they have in other parts of Wigan. In my opinion, it is only being opened to wipe out the other local stores like Costcutter, Premier, Spar and Whelley Discount and make people go down to the Tesco Extra store which many in Whelley have not been doing.
working for EU and IMF Greece needs all our cash
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 12:43 AMwhat gets me is how they keep saying supermarket ale is cheap ? it used to be when you got a 24 case then it went to 18 then 15 then 12 and at some places it's 10 for not much less than the original 24 case ? if you want to point the finger its Liabour for the smoking ban and it's not just pubs, bingo halls etc. its the brewery themselves ripping the tenants off high rents, high barrel costs when the publican could go to a local supplier same beer from the same brewery at half the cost. the Alex or hole in the Wall it's other name deserved to go it was expensive, and the last time i went 1 pint, half a coke 2 packets of crisps nearly a fiver 5 years ago. my local was roughly £3.20 for the same order. well said Collie Man the lazy parents can't walk there precious to school because it's not safe ? all that traffic.
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