Shoppers spoilt for store choice (From Salisbury Journal)

Shoppers spoilt for store choice

12:56pm Thursday 12th July 2007 in

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A SUPERSTORE war looks set to break out in Amesbury as three major supermarket chains put the finishing touches to their planning applications to bring their shops into town.

Tesco, Lidl and Asda all want to come to Amesbury and turn the London Road and Solstice Park area into a supermarket paradise for shoppers.

Tesco is planning a store twice the size of the recently opened Co-op in the centre of Amesbury. The superstore is planned for the Gregory's site in London Road - once a transport depot, but now derelict and something of an eyesore.

Tesco's planning application is expected to be submitted within the next few weeks, after consulting with local residents at a public exhibition held at the George Hotel on July 26-27.

Lidl, whose planning application is ready for Salisbury District Council, also wants to build one of its neighbourhood stores in London Road. It, too, is holding a public exhibition - an open day in the Melor Hall, Church Street, on July 13.

Asda has already held its public consultation exercise to get support for a supermarket at Solstice Park and a planning application is ready to go to the district council.

Amesbury town councillors heard at their July meeting that research carried out by Tesco had revealed that 70 per cent of Amesbury residents do their food shopping either in Salisbury or Andover and only 16 out of 100 shoppers buy their food items in Amesbury.

The survey also indicated that the town's new Co-op store would continue trading at its current level, even if there was competition.

Councillors heard that the ambulance station, currently on the Tesco site, would move to a more convenient location elsewhere in Amesbury.