Councillor John Holden is quoted in this mornings P&J:
'Bearing in mind Nairn's proposed expansion, I feel it is essential that this development is given the go-ahead. This would give Nairn a much-needed level of competition and service. I urge my colleagues to be brave and bold and support this application unanimously.'
On the subject of the move of the meeting from the Community Centre to the Courthouse the P&J quotes a spokesman for the Council:
'Asked why the the venue for Tuesday's 10am meeting had been switched at late notice from the spacious Community Centre to the cramped Courthouse building, he said: 'Because the community centre was not available.' It was unclear who else had hired the venue.'
As the Gurn has said before, it may get very crowded if a sizeable proportion of this project's protagonists turn up on the day.
The world has changed
ReplyDeleteI am sure that if asked, the overwhelming majority of folk in Nairn would say yes to a new large supermarket.
The lobby that are against a new store on the edge of town are the minority. Like many high streets in the UK Nairn’s is in decline. For Nairn shopkeepers to think that a new supermarket development in the town itself (Somerfields?) will maintain and even boost their businesses is head in the sand mentality, councillors who support this view are just sharing this short sighted bucket?
We are no longer a nation of shopkeepers but a nation of shoppers, shopping is a leisure pursuit. We want choice, we want keen prices, and if it takes a trip to Inverness or the Internet that is where we will go. Further to that the store is dead, witness Currys closing branches, and other companies will surely follow soon?
We are a nation who loves our cars and for the moment Nairn is one of the few towns to enjoy free parking. If nothing else green pressure is going to take that away, never mind an out of town supermarket, parking meters will really hit the high street business.
I like many would like to see Sainsbury’s build an out of town store. Busses and taxis could easily transport folk without cars, fitter members of the community could always walk there!
I for one would continue to support and shop in the high street, and it might be with rising fuel costs that the town would enjoy a boost if there were a descent supermarket that didn’t involve a journey to another town?
My dream would be for Nairn to have its own near daily local food market but until that happens I am behind the new store proposal
Maybe those who oppose it could seek funding for fake Victorian lampposts to illuminate the empty shops?