Its Our County

Ledbury; One of the Best High Streets in Britain (BBC poll)

130 people stood outside Ledbury Town Hall with placards at the Town Council meeting this evening, with messages such as ‘Deadbury’ and ‘No’.  What was it all about?

Anyone who has been to Ledbury recently must have seen the bright blue and red posters displayed in windows throughout the town, yes you’ve got it, its another supermarket fight.  This time against two of them, Tescos AND Sainsburys.

The town traders dont want either.  A spokesman for the demo and Chair of Ledbury Opposes The Suppermarkets (LOTS), Richard Hadley reminded us all that the fight – because that is what it is – is for the very life of Ledbury.  Supermarkets take the cash from local traders.  The money that is spent in local shops is taken by the super stores and profits go elsewhere and ultimately to share holders. 

Once a superstore is built there is no going back, the town is altered forever.

Ironically the demonstration against supermarkets was on the very same day that Ledbury had been voted one of four Best High Streets in Britain by a BBC poll.  LOTS are sure that it wont ever be again, not if the super stores go ahead.

The traders were asking the Town Council for £8,000, which LOTS would match fund, for an Independent study, one that would take into account all the peripheral things, what would happen to local shops, traffic, jobs, the townscape, travel, buses, – everything.  It would look at what has happened elsewhere and what is likely to happen in the future.  This study would inform the Planning Committee.  It would balance the many expert reports that Sainsburys and Tescos are bound to submit with their planning applications.

The Town Council listened to three representatives from the floor and then debated the issue amongst themselves.  Herefordshire Council has already commissioned an independent study, which they felt would be good enough.  There were also concerns that two studies would be needed (one for Tescos, one for Sainsburys), or maybe even three and several Cllrs reminded the meeting that many people actually wanted the new Tescos.  The meeting felt there should be a poll to find out what the Town wanted.

In the event they agreed, in principle, to fund the study, but only when more things had been found out, about whether such a study were needed and what form it would take.  Watch this space.

Our own It’s Our County Councillor for Ledbury, Liz Harvey is on a one week’s family holiday but she was following events on Twitter and sent this quote:

“This supermarket onslaught puts Ledbury at the centre of a huge National Debate.  Town and County Councils must think very carefully about what’s right for the future of the town and the rural communities it serves.  Looking ahead there is much more to consider here than people’s personal shopping convenience.”