Quote:
Originally Posted by Ossywarrior
why are tescos being blamed for the demise of accrington town center? lets face it, the town center has never moved with the times, we cant attract big name shops, b/burn and burnley town centers are only a short bus trip away and manchester is a £5 return ticket away.
the real damage was done when supermarkets branched out and sold clothes, books, electrical items etc etc. if they where only allowed to sell grocerys then maybe wardleworths would still be there, adams wouldnt have shut down and woolworths would be busy again.
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The whole point of H.B.C.'s decision to expand the Arndale and create more retail spaces, along with the decision to move the outdoor market/bus station, again to create even more retail units in Accrington, was supposedly to attract major chain multiples to the town.
An ill thought out planning concept, considering the number of existing shops Accrington already had at the time.
It's only two short years ago that the council leader was boasting in the press and listing the names of retailers that had moved to Accrington since the 'revamp' of the town centre.
I fear the list would be a lot shorter today.
The credit crunch may yet be the saving grace of our council, for there is now a handy excuse to blame others for our problems, and not the gross incompetence of those who really shouldn't be running a Tombola stall at a church fete, nevermind a borough's multi-million pound budget, and it's planning office.