Tesco will be ‘one too many supermarkets’ for Halstead (From Gazette)

Tesco will be ‘one too many supermarkets’ for Halstead

7:00pm Friday 19th March 2010 in

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HALSTEAD has enough supermarkets without the imminent arrival of Tesco, a chamber of trade boss has warned.

Tesco hopes to have a site for a store, thought to be off the town’s High Street, confirmed in a matter of weeks.

Michael Portway, chamber vice chairman, says it will kill trade for the small shops.

The town already has a Sainsbury’s store in the High Street, which opened in June, and was credited with boosting trade, and a Solar supermarket.

Mr Portway said: “It’s bad news for Halstead. I have nothing against Tesco, but our town cannot support three supermarkets.”

But Steve Kirby, chairman of the Halstead Chamber of Trade, said Tesco could be a good thing for the town as long as it respected other traders.

Mr Kirby said: “When they put the plans in we will see. As long as they don’t try to push other traders out...

“I would like to see the building plans as soon as possible.”

Mr Kirby, who runs Steve’s Hardware, in the Centre, said shops which sold the same items Tesco will stock would have to adapt. He added the store could improve the parking situation in the town.

Other traders have welcomed the news.

Ken Hewitt, who is also a chamber member and runs Halstead Antiques Centre, said: “We will have hundreds, if not thousands, of shoppers coming to Halstead, and hopefully they will come to my shop.”

Ann Hume, of Hume’s Bakery, in High Street, said: “It was inevitable a large supermarket would come to Halstead.

“It will be up and running within a short space of time and it may be better if it’s in the centre of town rather than out of town.”

It is believed Tesco is looking to set up shop on land to the east of the High Street.

Nick Gellatly, Tesco spokesman, said: “We remain interested in going to Halstead, but haven’t signed up to any specific site so far.”

In 2004, new shops, houses, offices and a 30-space car park were proposed for land to the east of the High Street.

Eight people own sections of the land and Braintree Council, which is also one of the landowners, has acted as a go-between to get the four-and-a-half acres sold and redeveloped.

Jackie Brown, Braintree Council spokesman, said: “At this stage we are unable to provide any further details regarding the progress of negotiations for the regeneration of land in Halstead.”