Tesco - what's going on?

11.22.31pm GMT Wed 8th Feb 2006

Rumours continue to circulate about Tesco's plans for Darlington. Last year, a story circulated that Tesco were doing a deal with the Council to build a new Town Hall, in return for which Tesco would be given the land currently occupied by the Town Hall, and the bus station next door. Since then, the Council have clammed up - leading to more rumours and misinformation.

The threat which a huge Tesco hypermarket - right in the town centre - would pose to local businesses and market traders cannot be underestimated. The domination which Tesco exerts in so many towns across the country is such that we cannot be complacent about their likely effect on our town centre - especially as businesses here are already under pressure due to the Council's crazy new locations for bus stops.

Tesco apparently already own the derelict land opposite the bus station - yet no-one can be found who will confirm this. Has a deal been done on the quiet? Have Tesco not offered enough 'planning gain' in exchange for getting planning permission? Will the Council present a deal to the public in due course, when it will be too late to express our views? The Market traders already assume it's a done deal being kept secret until a more politically propitious moment arises to leak the news.

The Council just won't say - as usual, the small clique who run the Council think only they know what's right for Darlington and that they are under no obligation to consult a wider public.