Lidl scraps plans to open new store in Southampton (From Hampshire Chronicle)
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Lidl scraps plans to open new store in Southampton
1:00pm Monday 30th January 2012 in Hampshire Business
Lidl scraps plans to open new store in Southampton
A MAJOR supermarket chain has scrapped plans for a store in a Southampton high street.
Council leaders promised up to 40 store jobs if Lidl had bought city council land on Westridge Road, in Portswood.
And the council would have also received a cash windfall for the land currently being used a car park.
But the Daily Echo can reveal the negotiations with the German cut-price food retailer have fallen through.
A spokesman said: “On this occasion we are no longer pursuing this site as it is deemed unsuitable.”
The city council had agreed to sell the land providing Lidl won planning permission for the store, which would have involved demolishing properties in St Deny's Road – opposite where a planned new Sainsbury’s is to be built.
Southampton City Council leader Royston Smith said: “We are disappointed because more than 40 jobs would have been created. But Lidl has taken a commercial decision.”
Traders and local residents are among those who have opposed what would have become the seventh supermarket within just half a mile. They launched a campaign against the plans, arguing they would have put strain on already congested roads, limiting options for parking and forcing out independent traders.
One of the opponents, Lib Dem group leader Adrian Vinson, said: “There would have been all sorts of issues surrounding it. We are grateful for all the residents who supported the campaign against it.”
Independent traders in the high street had feared the discount store would have deterred customers by filling up parking spaces near their shops as well as moving in on their trade.
Manager of Portswood Hardware Steve Smith said: “What we need is a variety of shops, not just supermarkets and takeaways.”
Comments(20)
sarfhamton
says...
1:34pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Over the Edge
says...
1:47pm Mon 30 Jan 12
bigfella777 wrote:Where in the report did it state that the decision not to porceed was down to local opposition?
What a load of nimbys and bores must live in Portswood.I expect this is the usual Waitrose brigade simply complaining because people on a a budget will shop there.
At a time when shops are closing down you would think they would be glad of new shops breathing life into a run down area and creating jobs.
I doubt if the people complaining will be bothered about unemployment because they will all be retired.Shame on all of you.
It could just have been Lidl didn't want to pay the asking price for the land or agree to the conditions put on by the council to gain planning permission.
Royston Smith has said ,,,its a commercial decision taken by Lidl.
Maybe Lidl didn't like council leaders the negotiation skills?
LeTissiersEarLobe
says...
2:00pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Fatty x Ford Worker
says...
2:12pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Smart Bomb
says...
2:20pm Mon 30 Jan 12
bigfella777
says...
2:21pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Over the Edge wrote:I didn't say it was, in the article it says there was opposition from local residents and the Lib-Dems (no surprise they do nothing to promote growth),but Lidls are one of the few stores that don't just walk all over people as has been shown in Winchester when the snobs stopped them there. I am a Lidl's fan.
bigfella777 wrote:Where in the report did it state that the decision not to porceed was down to local opposition?
What a load of nimbys and bores must live in Portswood.I expect this is the usual Waitrose brigade simply complaining because people on a a budget will shop there.
At a time when shops are closing down you would think they would be glad of new shops breathing life into a run down area and creating jobs.
I doubt if the people complaining will be bothered about unemployment because they will all be retired.Shame on all of you.
It could just have been Lidl didn't want to pay the asking price for the land or agree to the conditions put on by the council to gain planning permission.
Royston Smith has said ,,,its a commercial decision taken by Lidl.
Maybe Lidl didn't like council leaders the negotiation skills?
Linesman
says...
3:13pm Mon 30 Jan 12
sarfhamton wrote:Who are they? A supermarket for dyslexics?
Is Portswood too posh for LDIL?
Lionel P
says...
3:31pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Fatty x Ford Worker
says...
3:38pm Mon 30 Jan 12
dango
says...
5:10pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Condor Man
says...
5:13pm Mon 30 Jan 12
100%HANTSBOY
says...
6:34pm Mon 30 Jan 12
dango wrote:I think they are counting Iceland,Farm Foods and perhaps the International Stores (not sure any of them are "Super"markets though)
I'm struggling to recall the other six supermarkets within the half-mile. OK so I know of Co-Op/ Somerfields, Waitrose and Aldi, but where are the other three?
Message to Lionel P... Portswood used to be a nice area until the Students and their greedy Landlords turned it into a Ghetto totally encouraged by the councils
loosehead
says...
9:41pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Over the Edge wrote:Lidl with Barker Mills want to build a massive warehuse on the outskirts of Millbrook/Lordshill so why would the council need to negotiate? just these are our terms either accept them or we oppose the warehouse?
bigfella777 wrote:Where in the report did it state that the decision not to porceed was down to local opposition?
What a load of nimbys and bores must live in Portswood.I expect this is the usual Waitrose brigade simply complaining because people on a a budget will shop there.
At a time when shops are closing down you would think they would be glad of new shops breathing life into a run down area and creating jobs.
I doubt if the people complaining will be bothered about unemployment because they will all be retired.Shame on all of you.
It could just have been Lidl didn't want to pay the asking price for the land or agree to the conditions put on by the council to gain planning permission.
Royston Smith has said ,,,its a commercial decision taken by Lidl.
Maybe Lidl didn't like council leaders the negotiation skills?
none of this happened & Lidl's just pulled out how's that the councils fault?
loosehead
says...
9:44pm Mon 30 Jan 12
et just down the road & we have a Lidls so why would this store be to much for Portswood?
IronLady2010
says...
9:52pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Salad is always looking very sad and on it's last legs, I dare try the meat!
My last purchase was a bag of onions which went in the bin as they were growing green shoots in the middle.
Still, some people love the shop, although I struggle to speak to them in English!
westongirl
says...
11:25pm Mon 30 Jan 12
loosehead
says...
7:38am Tue 31 Jan 12
IronLady2010 wrote:Does okay in Shirley but it might be the Eastern European shoppers
Is it just me, or is Lidl just poor quality?
Salad is always looking very sad and on it's last legs, I dare try the meat!
My last purchase was a bag of onions which went in the bin as they were growing green shoots in the middle.
Still, some people love the shop, although I struggle to speak to them in English!
Linesman
says...
10:16am Tue 31 Jan 12
IronLady2010 wrote:Yep! I think that it's you that is just poor quality.
Is it just me, or is Lidl just poor quality?
Salad is always looking very sad and on it's last legs, I dare try the meat!
My last purchase was a bag of onions which went in the bin as they were growing green shoots in the middle.
Still, some people love the shop, although I struggle to speak to them in English!
If you were to get out of bed a bit earlier and get to the shop earlier, the salad would be fresher.
As you have difficulty speaking to them in English, perhaps you should consider going to evening classes to improve your command of the English language.
loosehead
says...
3:58pm Tue 31 Jan 12
Linesman wrote:Many of the customers are of eastern european background & I think that one of the staff are that's in the Shirley branch I don't know about the Town branch but have always been able to find someone who can talk English
IronLady2010 wrote:Yep! I think that it's you that is just poor quality.
Is it just me, or is Lidl just poor quality?
Salad is always looking very sad and on it's last legs, I dare try the meat!
My last purchase was a bag of onions which went in the bin as they were growing green shoots in the middle.
Still, some people love the shop, although I struggle to speak to them in English!
If you were to get out of bed a bit earlier and get to the shop earlier, the salad would be fresher.
As you have difficulty speaking to them in English, perhaps you should consider going to evening classes to improve your command of the English language.
bigfella777 says...
1:16pm Mon 30 Jan 12
At a time when shops are closing down you would think they would be glad of new shops breathing life into a run down area and creating jobs.
I doubt if the people complaining will be bothered about unemployment because they will all be retired.Shame on all of you.