The Caffyns garage is slowly metamorphosing into a shiny new Tesco. Disaster! The arrival of the UK's biggest and hungriest retailer will mean the end of independent shops in Seaford and change the character of the town for ever.
Well, hang on a minute. Isn't it better that the building is restored for a useful purpose than left to fall derelict? And haven't shops been closing in Seaford prior to Tesco's arrival? Yes, and yes. As for Tesco itself: I don't particularly want to shop there, but judging by the number of delivery vans seen around the town every evening, quite a few people clearly do. Who's to say they're making an error in their lifestyle choices?
People talk about the Tescofication of Britain as if it's somehow the fault of tyrannical captalist evil-doers, lily-livered planning departments and spineless (or corrupt) ministers. The truth is far simpler than that, and possibly harder to accept.
The reason Tesco is opening in every high street in the land, stealing market share from large and small rivals and moving into peripheral businesses like insurance, music downloads and probably its own airline is that people like buying stuff from it. Elemental supply and demand economics: nothing more.
If Tesco succeeds in Seaford it will be because local people want it to. If nobody chooses to shop there, it will close down. I wonder which it will be.
1 comment:
I for one will definately choose to shop at the new Tesco express. I have been getting the odd bits from the Co-op since I moved here 2 years ago and now that Tesco has finally opened I will be saying goodbye to the ridiculously overpriced and poorly staffed co-op!!
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