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Tesco bids to expand main store
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| Ben Jackson at Tesco |
TESCO has submitted plans to extend its flagship store in Bicester.
If given the go-ahead, the Pingle Drive store would almost double in size from its current 4,299sq m.
The application, which has been submitted to Cherwell District Council, also includes a double-decker car park to hold 548 cars.
Tesco spokesman Felix Gummer said: "Bicester faces an exciting future with so much development.
"In addition to the new town centre development, there are plans for a large extension to the south of the town in the areas surrounding our Pingle Drive store and at Bicester Village.
"We are aware the existing store in Pingle Drive is trading well in excess of expectations and needs extending and modernising.
"Our customers are repeatedly telling us about the store's congestion.
"There was overwhelming support for the plans at our consultation and since then we have had further encouragement and support from both the general public and our customers."
Bicester - dubbed Tesco Town' by some - has five other Tesco stores: Hart Place, Holm Square, Shakespeare Drive, a Tesco Express in Nightingale Place and a Tesco Metro in Sheep Street.
Mr Gummer said the Pingle Drive store was in need of modernisation to cope with the large volume of customers as the population in Bicester kept growing.
It is to include more specialist and locally sourced ranges, more checkouts, and wider isles for people with wheelchairs and pushchairs.
It would feature enhanced pedestrian links to the store from residential areas, new bus stops and additional cycle parking facilities.
But butcher Brad Kershaw, who works at Clays in Sheep Street, said: "It's just Tesco, Tesco, Tesco.
"They are getting bigger and bigger and squeezing shops like ours out.
"It's already affecting our business and will make things worse for us.
"They have the parking over there and the town has none. If they don't close the one in the town (Sheep Street), it will just make things worse for us."
Bicester Chamber of Commerce spokesman Ben Jackson said: "We recognise the need to improve the offer to the people of Bicester in terms of produce range, but the chamber has concerns regarding traffic generation we would want to see answered before wholly supporting the application."
4:30pm Thursday 8th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Andrew, Oxford on 10:29pm Thu 8 May 08
Tesco should improve their store at Cowley Retail Park - It's pathetic in comparison to some of their stores in smaller towns/cities.
Alloa, which is a small Scottish town a population a fraction of the size of Oxford, has a huge store with Mezzanine level for non-food items that puts the Oxford store to shame. Even Reading has a decent size store.
Tesco should improve their store at Cowley Retail Park - It's pathetic in comparison to some of their stores in smaller towns/cities.
Alloa, which is a small Scottish town a population a fraction of the size of Oxford, has a huge store with Mezzanine level for non-food items that puts the Oxford store to shame. Even Reading has a decent size store.
Posted by: roo, Bicester on 10:32pm Thu 8 May 08
Unless anything is changed about the road structure for Pingle Drive it should be refused - Bicester Village is always expanding but nothing has ever been done about the dreadful one & only entrance. It is so dangerous with all the cars trying to get in and other cars wanting to just go past.
I personally would rather go to the butchers & greengrocers in Bicester Town but when you work in Oxford 9-5 sometimes you don't have much choice other than Tescos. Gone are the days when we all worked near our homes & walked to work and had shops nearby!
Unless anything is changed about the road structure for Pingle Drive it should be refused - Bicester Village is always expanding but nothing has ever been done about the dreadful one & only entrance. It is so dangerous with all the cars trying to get in and other cars wanting to just go past.
I personally would rather go to the butchers & greengrocers in Bicester Town but when you work in Oxford 9-5 sometimes you don't have much choice other than Tescos. Gone are the days when we all worked near our homes & walked to work and had shops nearby!
Posted by: chris, bicester on 1:06am Fri 9 May 08
everyone i talk to does not want our tesco metro store to shut, thats at least 100 people so far.
everyone i talk to does not want our tesco metro store to shut, thats at least 100 people so far.
Posted by: May Beican, Bicester on 7:43am Fri 9 May 08
Has anyone thought about the extra traffic it would cause, as they did when they wanted to build the cinema and hotel on the opposite side of the road? Mind you its difficult enough at the weekend to get into Tesco anyway, with the new shops at Bicester rip-off (sorry village)
Come to that why bother just go to Banbury Tesco........ or use the smaller shops in Bicester Town.
Has anyone thought about the extra traffic it would cause, as they did when they wanted to build the cinema and hotel on the opposite side of the road? Mind you its difficult enough at the weekend to get into Tesco anyway, with the new shops at Bicester rip-off (sorry village)
Come to that why bother just go to Banbury Tesco........ or use the smaller shops in Bicester Town.
Posted by: titch, Bicester on 10:14am Fri 9 May 08
Bicester comes to a standstill on a weekend because of the 'Village', its time they put another road in/out!!! making Tescos bigger shouldnt be the issue. And wheres the competition anyway?? A town this size could accommodate another store easily, and not just another tesco
Bicester comes to a standstill on a weekend because of the 'Village', its time they put another road in/out!!! making Tescos bigger shouldnt be the issue. And wheres the competition anyway?? A town this size could accommodate another store easily, and not just another tesco
Posted by: Heather Ainsworth, Bicester on 10:30am Fri 9 May 08
Tesco needs to expand as it is pathetically small for the town. Who is to blame for the congestion - the Council they let Bicester Village be built there with only one way in and out, they aree the ones who let Bicester Village ecxpand at a drop of a hat without any thought of congestion. Why should Tesco's be refused permission to expand because of congestion when it is clear the council do not care. Too late to look caring now permission should never have been given to Bicester Village in the first place without a thought to a double entrance exit to the area. I can't say what I really think but I am sure back handers come to the mind of others too. Like the eco town on land owned by a counciller, convenient that. If the council wants to have more competition then when is the town centre development starting so that Sainsbury can come in and offer some competition. Only one blame here the council.
Tesco needs to expand as it is pathetically small for the town. Who is to blame for the congestion - the Council they let Bicester Village be built there with only one way in and out, they aree the ones who let Bicester Village ecxpand at a drop of a hat without any thought of congestion. Why should Tesco's be refused permission to expand because of congestion when it is clear the council do not care. Too late to look caring now permission should never have been given to Bicester Village in the first place without a thought to a double entrance exit to the area. I can't say what I really think but I am sure back handers come to the mind of others too. Like the eco town on land owned by a counciller, convenient that. If the council wants to have more competition then when is the town centre development starting so that Sainsbury can come in and offer some competition. Only one blame here the council.
Posted by: Pat, Buckingham on 1:02pm Fri 9 May 08
I live in Buckingham and work in Bicester, often having to shop for my elderly mother. I take the list to Buckingham and shop there rather than go to the Bicester store. I agree what everyone else has said on the access, and believe that until that problem has been solved no planning should be given. I used to live in Bicester, and its a shame to see how the heart is being ripped out of the town.
I live in Buckingham and work in Bicester, often having to shop for my elderly mother. I take the list to Buckingham and shop there rather than go to the Bicester store. I agree what everyone else has said on the access, and believe that until that problem has been solved no planning should be given. I used to live in Bicester, and its a shame to see how the heart is being ripped out of the town.
Posted by: Chris, Bicester on 1:32am Sat 10 May 08
I live near Shakespeare drive and it's quicker to drive to Kidlington (via Chesterton) to shop at Sainsburys on a weekend than it is to go the 1.5 miles to Tesco and face the 'Village' traffic (45 minute wait at closing time just to get out of Tesco on Sunday is a joke)
Just how many palms of those in power are being greased to allow 'the village' to continue expanding without the necessary road improvements ?
I live near Shakespeare drive and it's quicker to drive to Kidlington (via Chesterton) to shop at Sainsburys on a weekend than it is to go the 1.5 miles to Tesco and face the 'Village' traffic (45 minute wait at closing time just to get out of Tesco on Sunday is a joke)
Just how many palms of those in power are being greased to allow 'the village' to continue expanding without the necessary road improvements ?
Posted by: LES GARDINER, TESCO TOWN on 1:21pm today
tesco town formally bicester town needs a bigger tesco, why so when we go in on a hot day to buy salad goods they have more empty shelves or when we go in at easter for easter eggs theres more empty shelves.i would rather they run the store better WE DONT NEED 6 STORES tesco is spreading its evil like a cancer. as for the bicester ripoff village what a mistake that was the only benefit for people of bicester more traffic jams more pollution. first they expand the one store then the next sooner or later every other house will be tescos, dont you people understand what evil they are, they made 14 billion profit out of the like of you and me and still put the prices up, if you knew the cost of some of the goods to them you would think twice about giving them your money. i am going to object to the council my mp and urge you all to do the same. google tesco planning and see what they have done in other areas like swindon etc.
the saying every little helps, is also their policy every little extra they gain in money and land and buildings gives them more power to do what they want when they want and how they want. they are the biggest creator of waste they fly thousands of produce into the country polluting as they go dont support the farming industry in this country because they cannot get away from paying minimum wage like in other countries, i shop in the butchers on sheep street and the veg shop in sheep street BOTH are cheaper and better quality, i avoid tesco as much as possible. please please if you love bicester object to the planning stop the rot
tesco town formally bicester town needs a bigger tesco, why so when we go in on a hot day to buy salad goods they have more empty shelves or when we go in at easter for easter eggs theres more empty shelves.i would rather they run the store better WE DONT NEED 6 STORES tesco is spreading its evil like a cancer. as for the bicester ripoff village what a mistake that was the only benefit for people of bicester more traffic jams more pollution. first they expand the one store then the next sooner or later every other house will be tescos, dont you people understand what evil they are, they made 14 billion profit out of the like of you and me and still put the prices up, if you knew the cost of some of the goods to them you would think twice about giving them your money. i am going to object to the council my mp and urge you all to do the same. google tesco planning and see what they have done in other areas like swindon etc.
the saying every little helps, is also their policy every little extra they gain in money and land and buildings gives them more power to do what they want when they want and how they want. they are the biggest creator of waste they fly thousands of produce into the country polluting as they go dont support the farming industry in this country because they cannot get away from paying minimum wage like in other countries, i shop in the butchers on sheep street and the veg shop in sheep street BOTH are cheaper and better quality, i avoid tesco as much as possible. please please if you love bicester object to the planning stop the rot
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