Supermarket sweep

FORGOTTEN shops . . . butchers Alan and Wendy Verity outside the Huddersfield Road shops affected by the new Tesco store

OLDHAM’S giant new Tesco store has left struggling near-by shops facing a David and Goliath-style battle to survive.

Independent businesses along Huddersfield Road say they were promised the new supermarket would attract customers for everyone — but a big drop in trade has made it impossible to compete.

Shopkeepers complained that double yellow lines have sprung up around their shops stopping customers nipping in — while the supermarket giant’s car park is designed to channel shoppers into Tesco and keep them there.

A bus stop, pedestrian crossing and post box have all been moved from outside the shops to Tesco, taking passing trade away from the streets and towards the supermarket. There has already been criticism about traffic snarl-ups caused by the store.

Concerns have been raised about the new pedestrian crossing after several near-misses.

Butcher Alan Verity said trade has dropped by about 20 per cent since Tesco opened.

He said: “It’s been a sickener. The council said it would be a regeneration area and attract thousands more people, which it does — but they all go to Tesco.

“I’m going to apply for a rent and rates reduction. We are now in a secondary trading position whereas before it was Class 1.

“I have been going independently in Oldham for 40 years but it just seems to be one constant battle against the big boys.”

Susan Sherriff, who runs The Cafe, said trade had gone down by around 30 per cent.

She added: “The Tesco traffic means it takes that long to get in, customers understandably can’t be bothered to then come and have a look around the other shops — it’s dead.

“If it continues as it has been since it opened we will struggle to survive.”

Several other shops backed the complaints and said trade had dropped. Staff at PSP Ltd newsagents and gift shop say they have been badly hit.

Ali Asgher said: “Trade is down by about 20 per cent — we’re struggling.”

While Tesco has created hundreds of jobs, the shops say it could come at the cost of other businesses and their workers.

A Tesco spokesman said: “The retail sector is very competitive but there are plenty of examples where independent shops can exist successfully side by side with larger retailers.

“It’s our commitment to good service, convenience, quality, availability and prices mean people choose us time and again — but we know that customers will vote with their feet and go elsewhere if we are unable to continue to offer these things.”

Oldham Council did not respond to requests to comment.