Tescos Again

[Malcolm Robinson 552]

Thinking that might be on the cards anyway Adam! I know there is talk of it, I suppose its a case of watch that space.......literally.

[Christopher Doyle 39]

I was on the site for the initial talks, and I was one of those who were happy Tesco were here.

 

The "attempt" at a clothing section was abysmal. They should be ashamed of what they have done.

 

This situation is like a dead relationship. The only reason Bedlington and Tesco is still together is habit.

 

The sex is stale, there is no longer any romance. Time to break it up!

[rosco 36]

Tesco bedlington closing....will be announced at 12.30...staff were told first thing this morning

[mercuryg 271]

Tesco bedlington closing....will be announced at 12.30...staff were told first thing this morning

 

Not great for the people who work there

[keith lockey 23]

Closing April 4th....just heard it.

[Canny lass 493]

Tragic for the workers but at least the site will not tied up anymore. Maybe something can be done with the Place now.

[tomtom 26]

Absolutely dreadful news for all concerned particularly the staff - what a bloody awful company Tesco has turned out to be. To think of the money I and others have spent in the shop over the years makes me want to throw up. A thousand curses on them. I'll never cross the threshold of any Tesco store in future and I hope many will follow my example. What happens to Bedlington now? - ghost town looming - perhaps it's time to sell up and move..

[Pete 139]

What happens to Bedlington now? - ghost town looming - perhaps it's time to sell up and move.

 

 

It's sad news for the employees, but, is there an opportunity there? If there was enough interest could a local consortium (peoples local coop) not take it over and run it for the people of Bedlington. It could still be profit driven and promises could be kept unlike promises made by Tesco. It could take Bedlington back to the days of Milne's department store and that brought people in from other towns.

 

Tesco gone, end of Bedlington, never.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Pete

[Malcolm Robinson 552]

Like your thinking Pete!

[tomtom 26]

Sorry Pete - that's called a 'pipe dream'  The site is much too big to develop  --guess we are looking at yet another decaying edifice. Let's be brutally honest, we have had no help from the council and even less from Lavery our MP. Companies with money to spend will take one look at the litter strewn alleys leading down to the car park and the fag end strewn pavements around the Market Tavern and think 'what kind of place is this - don't people care about their town'

[John Fox (foxy) 285]

 Let's be brutally honest, we have had no help from the council and even less from Lavery our MP.

 

Maybe "Arch" the "development arm" of NCC will step in and give us all a surprise. Watch that space.

[keith lockey 23]

I'm personally hoping Morrisons will take advantage and move in,,,but I'm doubtful.

[Pete 139]

Maybe "Arch" the "development arm" of NCC will step in and give us all a surprise. Watch that space.

Just checked thier web site, plenty of possibilities.

[Christopher Doyle 39]

Well, I just hope someone now looks at it and thinks "Welp, Tesco is out of the picture, perhaps we have a chance again..."

 

Bedlington NEEDS to reduce their rates and allow small businesses to thrive here.

 

Lets not follow the curve, lets bend our own way and become a small business nursery?

 

I just hope something is done with the huge old building next door now, even if its just knock it down and put something nice there.

[Vic Patterson 186]

http://www.newspostleader.co.uk/news/local/mp-furious-at-tesco-closure-1-7076298

[Dave 17]

It's closing

[Adam Hogg 24]

I knew it close, Tesco's had no interest in Bedlington.

I am very sorry for the staff after years of service and months of uncertainty they have lost there jobs, I can imagine some will be transferred to other branches but sadly there will be job losses.

 

Wonder if the next thing will be "Tesco's Row" up for sale?

[John Fox (foxy) 285]

Ashington MP Ian Lavery is saying that Tesco is prepared to let Bedlington "wither on the vine"  is this not what he himself has done for the last four years?

[BedlingtonLass 0]

My sister is amongst those affected, the staff have started there consultations, I once worked there many moons ago, awful for those affected

[threegee 809]

Whitley Bay and proposed Amble store get chop too!

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11333964/Tesco-closures-is-your-local-store-getting-the-chop.html

 

Is this the Tesco No Added Stores Double Concentrate on Profits Juice?  Anyway, it stinks too!

[mercuryg 271]

"What happens to Bedlington now? - ghost town looming - perhaps it's time to sell up and move.."

 

TomTom, with due respect, I get the impression you're not enamoured with the town! if it was only Tesco keeping you here - as you seem to be implying - then you are being a little short sighted. Whille this is a major blow for the people who work in the store and rely on that work to earn a living and keep their families - and I know a fair number of them - when all is said and done the bare fact, in the first instance, is this: we're losing a supermarket, and not a particularly good one. That's it: it's a shop, it's closing. The loss of Tesco isn't the end of the town, it's the end of that particular shop.

 

I choose to live around here for several reasons: it's a friendly place, easy to get to Newcastle, easy to reach the coast, easy to reach some of the most stunning countryside in the country, reasonably well served by public transport, great places to eat and drink, quiet, surprisingly dry, and family. I agree there is little in the way of shopping here, but that's not what I look for when choosing a town to live in. Judging by the many people who choose to live in the new housing - and with potentially more to come - it's not high on the criteria of many others, either. Perhaps they are attracted by the easy commute to places of work, and by teh respectable schools.

 

I also have to comment on:

 

"The site is much too big to develop"

 

No it's not; it's short sighted to believe that, were it to be developed, it would have to be in its present format. Why not divide it into smaller units, for a start?

 

"one look at the litter strewn alleys leading down to the car park and the fag end strewn pavements around the Market Tavern"

 

And how much, how long, would that take to clear? A day? And then regular litter picking afterwards? It's hardly a deciding factor!

 

As I said, the tragedy lies in the loss of jobs, not  in the loss of a second rate shop.

[Malcolm Robinson 552]

As I have said previously first Ashington now its Blyth's turn………..

https://www.facebook.com/TheNewsPostLeader/photos/a.215259731870647.56461.123172394412715/864757720254175/?type=1&theater

[tomtom 26]

To respond to your comment Mercuryg let me be straight to the point and tell you that we moved to Bedlington 12 years ago to what we believed was a pleasant small town having in situ  all we wanted. Since then we have lost our Building Society branch, our Lloyds Bank branch gaining in their place another Building Society and a shop where one can sell old clothing for cash. With empty, derelict and unfinished buildings on the main street, it's hardly an attractive place. The Thursday market is a disgrace with the tatty stalls selling junk and other rubbish and the litter problem I have campaigned against for years apparently getting worse and I will miss Tesco for the convenience of shopping locally for my groceries.

[tomtom 26]

Correction to my letter - for Building Society read Estate Agent!

[mercuryg 271]

All very fair points TomTom; I couldn't agree more about the Thursday market, it is a disgrace.

 

The banks and building societies problem is, however, far from unique to the town. It's happening everywhere, and just about any small town of this size will be bereft of banks either right now or very soon. There is nothing that can be done about this: if the amount of people using the facility is not considered economical, then commerce dictates the business will not continue. The days of banks providing a service are long gone - they are purely for business now, and the individual is not a priority. You're quite right about the proliferation of estate agents, too, but consider why that is: they are clearly viable businesses.

 

I respect that I am probably in a different situation to you: I only use my TSB account for direct debits now, and bank primarily a merchant account at PayPal. It's easy,convenient, and I don't have to wait for payments to go in - it's pretty much instant. I live by myself, so grocery shopping is a once a week - if that - concern, and Morrisons will do for me. For other goods, I shop online.

 

I do have to disagree with you about it not being an attractive place; the Front Street may be blighted, as you rightly say, by empty shops and unfinished construction, but it's a far more pleasant vista than many I could name.

 

I was, I reiterate, disagreeing in the main that the end of Tesco's is the end of the town. That's a pessimistic view at best. The optimistic one would be to consider how the soon to be empty space might be best used.