Superstore developments

[Tardis]

The big day is here.

I was told that there are 19 speaking against and 4 for.

At 5 minutes each it could be a very long meeting, as this is before the councillors get to join in the discussion if they are not already barred by their several and various conflicts of interest and personal and prejudicial positions according to the Code of Conduct.

[Tardis]

Deferred for at least 6 weeks

Just long enough to push it past the local elections and stop it being a referendum?

Lib Dems had a majority to push it through on the advice of planning.

Nice crowd though

[Whyperion]

Would the LDs have done so ?

[Tardis]

Would the LDs have done so ?

Pushed it through or deferred it?

The comments on the Pendle website suggest so, and I have never heard a personal comment from a lib dem cllr saying they wouldn't. You could ask cllr Hartley as this is a favourite topic of his, although he has never commented.

There is also the person who sat on the development committee of Pendle that might have pushed through the changes that allowed Barnoldswick to be designated as a Market Town for the first time in it's history. Maybe we can look forward to Gisburn Auction moving here.

The deferral would mean that someone would be a very shrewd political animal, and that certainly fits the character of at least one lib dem.

In a debate, however, where the council says yes, but the town is divided along the lines of 49% for to 32% against (19% don't know) and it is now confirmed that Tesco will pay £300,000 for the redevelopment of the Town Square amongst its other 106 monies

[Tripps]

Some hope for the antis...Not sure if your proposed development is classed as smaller or bigger though?

Mr Clarke is set to unveil radical changes this week in a bid to halt the decline of the largest UK supermarket. He is expected to say that all new plans for building new superstores are to be put on hold and there will be further spending cuts across the business. Tesco will still open new “Metro” stores and smaller stores but plans for bigger supermarkets will be put on hold. Peripheral parts of the business such as its Homeplus stores could be shelved as Tesco focuses on the success of its core business in the UK.

Someone I know visited Barlick last Friday, and reported back that "the main square was absolutely buzzing with people, shopping and lunching, , and how impressed he was with the variety of non chain shops in the centre". Long may it continue says I. Who needs Mary Portas' advice.

[Pluggy]

Mr Clarke is set to unveil radical changes this week in a bid to halt the decline of the largest UK supermarket.

Typo ?

[Stanley]

David, I noted the same thing during the fine weather. As for the 'decline' of Tesco et al. I have long held that sooner or later the public will wake up to the damage that is being done by the supermarket concept. They use the power of advertising to convince us that without them food would be much more expensive. If so, how do they manage to make such a good net profit and what damage is being done to the food producers in the process? At the base of their business model is the need to extend shelf life, add value to basic ingredients and reduce the profit base of primary producers. In the end the flaws in this model will become obvious but the problem is that by then they will have killed the goose that lays the golden egg. What we need more than anything else is proper nutritional education in schools, more label reading and common sense. The best advice I ever came across was that if your grandma wouldn't recognise it, don't buy it!

[Tardis]

Mr Clarke is set to unveil radical changes this week in a bid to halt the decline of the largest UK supermarket.

Typo ?

Nope,

The previous leaders have failed to invest in the UK but took the share dividends, and now they are paying the price. Sales down, market share down, Margins down, profits down.

They are currently fighting to hold onto 2nd place, but it might take 2-3 years to turn around the business because of the costs

[Pluggy]

They are currently fighting to hold onto 2nd place, but it might take 2-3 years to turn around the business because of the costs

Tesco are still the biggest by a healthy margin, but their lead has diminished. Sainsbury's and Iceland have increased their share. (Sainsbury's since they dumped a certain over-opinionated TV chef IMO )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16817254

[Tardis]

The markets expect them to lose their lead either later this year or early next. Something has gone fundamentally wrong in the operation and the

"every little helps" campaign appears to have backfired in the minds of the public, plus their "cuts" programme just before Christmas was roundly derided by all consumer groups.

That is why the boss just went, why the marketing people are being tasked hard and Tesco are crushing supplier margins (supplier milk price just went down), and they just lost their huge profit maker of posting CD's from Jersey VAT free

It is only the UK operation, but the city expects them to leak a little money this year whilst they try to sort it out.

The fact that they are then pulling out of new store openings, and trying to "concentrate on internet" shopping indicates a whole round circling of the wagons

Maybe finally the public have also got around to realising that Tesco sell kwiksave quality at top dollar prices

[Pluggy]

They are making a lot of noise about losing 0.4% market share over 12 months,whilst Asda rose by 0.6% - they are still 13% clear of Asda, they've a long way to go to being No 2.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/ ... 0W20120327

[Stanley]

The reason why Walmart bought Asda is because supermarket profit margins in the UK are far higher than profits in the US.

[Stanley]

Tesco profit and turnover down again, figures to be issued this morning. At the same time they are going to set out alterations to their business plan and there has been a strong hint of cut-backs in new developments and improvements to existing stores.Many years ago when I was involved in negotiations for a new hotel to be built by BAA at Ellenroad we reached the stage where the surveyors were on the ground setting out the site and BAA made a board decision that in future they would only build on land they already owned. This killed the Ellenroad hotel stone dead. Figure it out......

[Whyperion]

I think this is the other side of the VAT increase to 20% ( and some restrictions on Businesses Reclaiming whole VAT in one go on large investment projects ), the retail turnover is down ( customers on fixed incomes spending much the same £ ) , but aside from food the real net to retailers is falling , so Tesco figures etc need to be interpreted in the light of relative performance vs the general pricing backgrounds. Overall the project return is not meeting the benchmark figures they set, hence a decision to go for a growth in on-line , which is probably a marketing front with suppliers only delivering to order , reducing Tesco inventory and maintaining there normal payment terms.

Stanleys use of "and" above appears to contradict BBC reporting of Tesco plans for future
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17752194
The company is slowing down its expansion programme in the UK, so it can focus on overhauling the existing chain.

[Tardis]

Tesco to reduce new store floor space growth by 40%, concentrate on Extra and Internet formats. I'm also wondering if this will mean that they may only consider to build on land that they already own and know that they won't have a major fight on their hands to develope.

When you know that the board are taking a direct interest in what is happening on the shop floor you know that the 'klaxon' is well and truely blaring. On Today, it was almost as if he was telling the city "we know, and we are dealing with it". Usually a major sign that the city has sent a shot across the bows, and the board are on notice to buck up or resign.

City expects profits to be in line with expectations, but by their own figures this means Tesco UK is in a tough patch for the next 5 years. So expect more suppliers margins to be squeezed. If the board gets into tinkering too, they might lose what they already have.

So whilst Tesco tries to hold onto what it has got the competitors will almost have a free hand. A 2% fall is a lot of money, which might also mean that the banks will charge them more too. Hence why they are trying to rush forward their Tesco morgage stuff

They probably need some "keep calm and carry on" otherwise their top people will leave, and then it becomes an unstoppable spiral. If people start getting fired, you know that the proverbial has hit the fan.

[Whyperion]

No , its just the Tesco plan for total dominance has been sussed, and any deviation from that plan is to be a concern for them , profits still up when world wide sales are taken into account , UK has been a bit of a blip downwards and probably not unexpected, but tesco will us the results to push down supplier prices.

[Tardis]

The Tesco fight back has begun

If you are a new customer, you can get £10 off online shopping providing that you spend £50.

I don't know if there is a delivery charge in with that, but it isn't a strong enough discount for me

[Whyperion]

They have been offering that for some time to selected email addresses , delivery charges I think vary according tom day/ time and value of order.
Its more the latest TV ads , they are doing a paper leaflet ( in store only or being mailed out ? ) that has selected product discount vouchers in it , some time since Tesco did that ( they have offered - in only certain stores ? - the acceptance of competitor - sainsburys, asda, waitrose loyalty and similar discount vouchers for a number of years). Quite a easy offer for competitors to state they will accept the tesco vouchers as well. ( Farmfoods down in Colne often does vouchers for £2.50 off £25 and £5 off £50 spend , nearly pays for the bus fare - if you can struggle home with all the frozen stuff before it melts or weighs you down.

[Stanley]

Headline in BET this morning about yet another proposal for a supermarket by the owners of the Albert Hartley site. Bit like waiting for a bus, three come along at once. On the face of it this looks like a well thought out proposal that could have more benefit to the town than the others. In terms of traffic it is a better site as well.

[Stanley]

Bumped

[Whyperion]

http://www.alberthartley.co.uk/Services.htm

Is the proposal for the works to be relocated , or for only part retail development of the site or is this another potential loss of manufacturing jobs ?

[Stanley]

Donate to the BET and read the article.

[Tardis]

Both,

you can read selected bits of the B&E online, otherwise it still believes in the dead trees press

and of course there is a copy in the library

[Tardis]

Craven Herald says West Craven condiseration for the two submitted supermarkets is 10th May, venue not yet set.

[Pluggy]

I had a rep trying to sell me advertising in Tesco stores, he had Tesco ID with him so I assumed they were closely in bed with said supermarket chain, he seemed to think the proposed Barlick Tesco wasn't going to happen.