Will The New Tesco Ever Happen?

[threegee]

Go back to the 1950's, even 1960's, and the Front Street was a hive of activity. Not so many cars as there are now, but those cars didn't drive right on through.

There were factory units in the old Council Yard that provided real jobs making stuff that people wanted to buy, and at lunch time those people, together with many other retail and service workers, came out onto the street and patronised the shops. There was real economic activity on the South side too. It certainly wasn't only the pits that drove the economy.

What happened to those factory units - well they got "zoned" by the planners. Moved to the middle of beyond where they steadily died. Instead of walking or biking to work you needed a car, but cheap petrol would go on forever (only relatively lightly double-taxed), and you could park for free more or less where you liked. Instead of just nipping across to Bill Scott's engineering works to get a part drilled or welded and your machine back in service in no time, you got on the phone to the smoke, and then waited days for delivery.

This was the era when bigger (we were told) was better. Dozens of "inefficient" small motor manufacturers and parts suppliers were cajoled and bullied by government into large "efficient" groups like the British Motor Corporation. New Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson (not a stranger to Bedlington Front Street) told us all about how our future would be forged in "the white heat of the technological revolution".

But the politicians and the planners got it all very wrong. They "zoned" countless millions into white elephants like Cramlington and Killingworth "new towns" when all they had to do was provide a little help here and there to established towns of the region, and allow those towns to develop naturally. As a result they destroyed thousands of small-town economies that worked, all in pursuit of a mirage. The real tragedy is that there are people who still seem to believe that central planning, and even local "grand schemes" can deliver any lasting benefit at all.

If you visit the current centres of real activity and innovation in the world you'll be struck by how intertwined it all is. There's been little or no central planing, very little zoning; if there's a need for this or that people just get on and do it. I'm not advocating complete planning anarchy, but maybe something like micro-zoning where light industry is permitted (actually encouraged) just off the front street. Any functioning town needs an economic heart. It used to be the colliery, of course; but the Bedlington blunder was removing other light industry, right at a time when we should have been going all out to encourage it.

I'm not talking offices or airy-fairy "innovation centers" here, but places where people get their hands dirty. Ideally we should have some light industry within a couple of minutes walk of the Market Place, but is there anywhere now left that hasn't had "for profit" houses built on it? And, we've now created a major NIMBY problem too!

We also need just a portion of that big government (national and regional) squander in the hands of our own local people, and a free hand to dispense it in any direction where it will aid sustainable employment. Sure there will be local squabbling and some mistakes; but they will be our squabbles and our mistakes, and local people will see them and directly correct them.

Local authorities without money to spend are a sham, and we shouldn't accept the power structure which has been foisted off on us without any sort of mandate. The past has taught us that small and local is good, and that governments - national and even regional - have (at best) a huge propensity for waste, and (at worst) are totally counterproductive. We need real change - a restoration of local democracy with its own spending power - and not the illusory change which has been imposed on us!

[Malcolm Robinson]

So what do you really think GGG?

[Malcolm Robinson]

I don't necessarily agree we need 'light engineering' tagged into the back of Front Street to legitimise the high street, I think the costs would be prohibitively too high, even if it was possible. We certainly need that mix within a sensible distance to give diversity to our local economy both in terms of sustainable local jobs and wealth creation.

I do agree with the point that the planners have a lot to answer for as far as Bedlington is concerned. Instead of an ambitious economic development plan we got a conservation area tag put onto Front Street which has always been used negatively as far as development went. It may have changed a little of late but too little too late comes to mind! The decision to only have commercial development north of the Wansbeck left us in Bedlington relegated, not only in terms of economic development but also in the area of community facilities, to being a dormitory town and the wallet of Wansbeck! Never even being 'placed' in a three horse race we are now in a fifty horse race with an even bigger handicap.

[mercuryg]

Go back to the 1950's, even 1960's, and the Front Street was a hive of activity. Not so many cars as there are now, but those cars didn't drive right on through.

This was the same everywhere though, 3g, and has nothing to do with 'getting it wrong'; people simply didn't travel 'out of town' to the hypermarkets we have now because they didn't exist.

I think Tesco's is an absolute abomination that has served only to destroy the spirit of the twon in more ways than one: Bedlington needs the likes of !*!@# Hat more than it does Tesco's.

[Monsta®]

This was the same everywhere though, 3g, and has nothing to do with 'getting it wrong'; people simply didn't travel 'out of town' to the hypermarkets we have now because they didn't exist.

I think Tesco's is an absolute abomination that has served only to destroy the spirit of the twon in more ways than one: Bedlington needs the likes of !*!@# Hat more than it does Tesco's.

what are you on about if tescos left bedlington would simply die! !*!@# hat was just full of rubbish a bit like accolade only cheaper!

[mercuryg]

what are you on about if tescos left bedlington would simply die! !*!@#

What, now you reckon it's tesco's that keeps Bedlington 'alive'? have you been in? It's like a morgue, only a damn sight more expensive! My only thought, if - well, when - it goes is with those who make a living working there.

[Monsta®]

What, now you reckon it's tesco's that keeps Bedlington 'alive'? have you been in? It's like a morgue, only a damn sight more expensive! My only thought, if - well, when - it goes is with those who make a living working there.

canny lively morgue!

[doglover]

canny lively morgue!

I think Bedlington is definitely like a ghost town.I was outside Tescos the other day and there was no breeze blowing but the new market place was a mess. There was rubbish all over the place. That hasn't taken long. I am really dis heartened with the so called new Tescos I now don't believe It will happen and meanwhile Bedlington seems to be dying.

[Stephen]

I don't necessarily agree we need 'light engineering' tagged into the back of Front Street to legitimise the high street, I think the costs would be prohibitively too high, even if it was possible. We certainly need that mix within a sensible distance to give diversity to our local economy both in terms of sustainable local jobs and wealth creation.

I do agree with the point that the planners have a lot to answer for as far as Bedlington is concerned.

I agree with this. I think Bedlington has in some ways suffered because it has had relatively high employment, unfortunately though most people are employed outside the town. I think it would be easier to find office space than factory space in the town centre and would guess that many of us have those kind of jobs. Keep people in the town from 9-5 and we will spend more money in local shops.

Another suggestion mentioned at a recent Forum meeting was to build a night-time economy, in other words if people have to commute away for work, try to get them when they get back home.

[Mr Darn]

Why not start a facebook petition to show how much bedlington residents support the Tesco Expansion into the old co-op building?

It worked for the christmas lights!

[threegee]

It only worked because other forces came together to make sure it worked. Unfortunately the kids came away with a simplistic view, and now think that all that's needed is a bit of popular acclaim.

Tesco is going to do what Tesco is going to do. All that matters is Tesco's bottom line, and local opinion has bu&*%r all to do with that!

[Malcolm Robinson]

I am wondering what this night time economy people are talking about actually is? I presume its not just pubs and restaurants?

I agree with GGG, Tesco will only every take notice of its bottom line and maintaining its market placing. Everything else is PR!

[Stephen]

I am wondering what this night time economy people are talking about actually is? I presume its not just pubs and restaurants?

I think it is just pubs and restaurants but needs to be more than that to be successful. Perhaps late night shopping one day a week with other services (the library at the moment) timed to match it.

[Mr Darn]

Tesco is going to do what Tesco is going to do. All that matters is Tesco's bottom line, and local opinion has bu&*%r all to do with that!

What a load of twaddle!

If we can prove there is a need for development, and hand it on a silver platter to Tesco, of course they will take notice. Having said that, it could also put the last nail in the coffin if there is no support.

A test case is the "bring back westlers hamburgers" at asda. They stopped selling them for a while, but a small petition from a few customers demanding its return to sale proved to do just that, resulting in the store manager emailing ASDA house asking for Blyth store to be re-stocked.

It wasn't a case of asda not selling it anymore, more that Blyth was considered a smaller store, so some lines were cut.

We need to start shouting about what we want, and having opinions like the one quoted is putting you in the same bracket as Monsta!

[threegee]

We are talking serious capital spending here; which isn't too easily confused with the logistics of a few boxes of hamburgers.

Heretical though this may sound we don't need a Tesco or an Asda. We need specialist traders who re-spend money in the town, and don't put it in a security van straight out.

If you or Monsta or anyone else believe that Tesco is going to "give" us anything you are deluded. These predatory operators will always take more than they give. They also destroy existing businesses, play off smaller suppliers against each other until doing business with them becomes barely economic. All this whilst putting up the illusion that they are providing a valuable public service.

Sometimes it is necessary to sup with the devil, but in doing so we need an extension to the customary long spoon. Fortunately I think most of our representatives are a little more worldly-wise than the younger element in the town, who would be easy converts to a "cargo cult" religion.

[Merlin]

Tesco have started selling their stuff off cheap today! A decision must have been made one way or another, either to close and refurbish or close altogether.

[Hazelmeerkat]

Does anyone know when we will get the final decision regarding Tesco ? The consultation on the Morpeth store was "late January" so it must have happened by now.

[Malcolm Robinson]

What a load of twaddle!

If we can prove there is a need for development, and hand it on a silver platter to Tesco, of course they will take notice. Having said that, it could also put the last nail in the coffin if there is no support.

A test case is the "bring back westlers hamburgers" at asda. They stopped selling them for a while, but a small petition from a few customers demanding its return to sale proved to do just that, resulting in the store manager emailing ASDA house asking for Blyth store to be re-stocked.

It wasn't a case of asda not selling it anymore, more that Blyth was considered a smaller store, so some lines were cut.

We need to start shouting about what we want, and having opinions like the one quoted is putting you in the same bracket as Monsta!

Mr D, have you heard of 'turnover per square foot', it's the holy grail of this sort of company. Everything which is stocked is stacked up against this criteria, every stock item has to justify its shelf space. On top of that everything you see, smell and even the ambience you feel inside a hypermarket these days is carefully measured and implanted. I would guess there is someone deep in the bowels of Tesco Towers who has a graph showing projected footfall and turnover for a Bedlington superstore and it must be showing a marginal case for development. Considering current government intervention on out of town retailing, high street impact, etc the only way this company can grow organically and domestically is to develop these marginal sites. If you think a small delegation of our population can have any influence whatsoever over these business principles.......................

[Mr Darn]

if we are proactive enough to tell Tesco exactly what we will use (which differs from what we want!) they will have a much more informed basis to decide whether the space will be best developed into 'Tesco' supplied space, or sold off to 3rd party's to create smaller shops specialising in non-food, leaving Tesco to wipe up the food based market.

That was my point.

If we say nothing at all, then we cant complain when Tesco decides for us.

[bediesathome]

personal i dont think the tescos expanstion will get built due to the bigger Morpeth store having the go ahead. why have 2 big tescos within 4-5miles within each other.

Tesco have two super stores in Leicester on the same streach of road and they are not more that three miles apart, not sure why they have done that but I would suspect its to stop the compertition.

hello malcom i hope you are from bedlington . i am an x bedlington man .i moved to blyth 40 years ago ihave read some posts about gallagers park on your forum cant remember where it is .could you tell me where it is situated please. thanking you .

[Malcolm Robinson]

Tesco have two super stores in Leicester on the same streach of road and they are not more that three miles apart, not sure why they have done that but I would suspect its to stop the compertition.

hello malcom i hope you are from bedlington . i am an x bedlington man .i moved to blyth 40 years ago ihave read some posts about gallagers park on your forum cant remember where it is .could you tell me where it is situated please. thanking you .

This what you are after bed............?

http://friendsofgallagherpark.ning.com/

Your not going to say you have a dieing aunty or you need to move money out of an account in Blyth are you????