1) RESULTS OF TOWN CENTRE TRADERS SURVEY
The Looe Strategy Group has now concluded its survey of the views of town centre retailers which was undertaken to understand their thoughts on the current trading situation within Looe centre, and how existing businesses might be impacted by the proposed Tesco development.
The survey was conducted during October 2012 and questionnaire forms delivered to 112 businesses in Looe town centre. Respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire and return it within 10 days in an envelope provided to the Enterprise Centre, Higher Market Street. A total of 46 survey responses were returned.
Survey Responses:
- The questionnaire asked how long each business had been trading in Looe. Most were well established with around a half those responding having traded more than 20 years.
- Of the 46 responses 10 were from food shops (bakers, fruit/veg, fishmongers, grocery, delicatessen/local produce) including the Co-op supermarkets. There were responses from 9 gift shops and 7 clothes shops and a variety of others business types.
- The size of floor areas ranged from small to medium (300sq ft up to 1500sq ft)
- Out of 112 forms delivered, 37 answered the question on the number of employees, reporting 88 full-time and 150 part-time jobs. It would appear therefore that around 700 people are employed directly by retail outlets in Looe town centre.
- We asked about the positive aspects of Looe town centre and many reported they thought Looe was an attractive place to shop because of the friendliness and variety of independent retailers which provided a distinctive shopping experience that was in contrast to most town centres. A number of respondents mentioned that the beach, coastal location and historic character of the buildings and shop fronts contributed to the town’s appeal to customers.
- Negative aspects were mostly based around highways problems, parking charges, toilet facilities and the need to clean up/smarten up the town.
- Nearly half of respondents said sales were down compared with this time last year, whilst nearly a quarter said sales were up and the remainder thought roughly the same.
- 24 respondents answered the question ’how many local suppliers do you use within a 10 mile radius?’ listing a total of 148 companies averaging around 6 per shop.
- A large number of respondents thought the proposed Tesco development would have some impact on their own business and of these 94% said it would be negative and 6% positive.
- When asked whether they considered the development would have an impact upon the overall town centre, most respondents stated that it would do, with a significant number of these saying it would also have a negative impact on their investment plans.
A small minority of respondents supporting the proposals referred to the convenience of a closer large supermarket and to it providing competition and reducing traffic/parking problems in the town centre streets.
The large majority of Looe’s retailers however expressed concerns that the proposals would have a significant adverse impact upon the town centre and the viability of their own enterprises, outlining the following consequences should the development proceed:
- Location of supermarket would draw people away from the town centre,
- Loss of footfall would affect every establishment either directly or indirectly,
- Less shoppers in the town centre would inhibit growth of business,
- It would take net worth out of local economy and impact dependent suppliers,
- Uncertainty over future trading levels would restrict investment,
- Shop owners would be less likely to improve premises or take on more staff,
- Some outlets would consider shedding staff or closing during winter months,
- Would eventually lead to business closures and vacant properties, as in Liskeard,
- Barbican Road and out of town centre village shops might cease to trade,
- The likely loss of town centre food outlets currently accessible on foot would necessitate driving to an alternative food store.
Looe Strategy Group - November 2012
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2) RESULTS OF POLEAN v BARBICAN ROAD SURVEY
emailed to LSG subscribers 30 Nov 2012 (results updated 18 Dec)
Thanks for responding with your preferences regarding Polean/Barbican Road sites. The questions were only sent to those on the Looe Strategy Group's mailing list who are mostly opposed to the current Tesco application and below is a summary of the replies given so far.
There has been a marked preference for the Polean site and for a smaller store size selling mostly food and without a petrol filling station. Quite a few also added that Polean was a reluctant choice because they thought any large supermarket in Looe would be damaging to local character and business.
Q1: Are you in support of the current Tesco proposal?
• Yes 7% (respondents answered yes but prefer Polean site)
• No 93%
Q2: If you could select the site location for the store, which do you consider is preferable?
• Barbican Road 3%
• Polean 90% (some answered on condition buildings sympathetic/access road improved)
• no preference 7% (answered not prepared to commit because don't want either option)
Q3: Compared with the current proposal what size of store do you consider preferable?
• smaller 80%
• the same 10%
• larger 0%
• no preference 10% (some answered not prepared to choose because don't want any size)
Q4: If you could select the range of goods to be sold, which is preferable?
• mostly food 86%
• wide range 14%
• no preference 0%
Q5: If you could choose whether or not the development also included a petrol station which is preferable?
• yes with 17%
• without 70%
• no preference 13%
Q6: Are you yourself a Looe town centre trader?
• yes 17%
• no 83%
Looe Strategy Group - December 2012
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We refer to Amethyst Property Investment's letter of 9 November, and in response to comments about the Looe Town Council household survey and to put this in context please consider the following :
We trust that you will be able to take these points into account when considering the validity of the Looe Town Council household survey and the accuracy of its findings.
Yours sincerely
The campaign conducted by Tesco
Tesco held a two-day consultation exhibition in February of 2012 at the Looe Academy School which is just across the road from the application site. There was generally quite a bit of excitement locally to see the new proposals and with the promise of 180 jobs and 30 + affordable houses there were many visitors to the exhibition interested in getting their names down on the waiting lists for work and for housing.
A supporting brochure with questionnaire was made available at the exhibition to anyone wishing to fill it in, and we were encouraged to do so both by town councillors present and the Tesco staff. Tesco examined the questionnaires and soon after published a figure of 80/20 in favour, claiming overwhelming public support for their proposals. They circulated press releases and the numbers were widely reported in the papers, and have continued to be quoted right up to and including the planning committee meeting.
We make the following observations:
Use of data gathered via the questionnaire
The public consultation is a planning requirement and it was quite disturbing to discover Tesco selecting just those names who replied 'Yes' to the development on the questionnaire, and to discover they subsequently contacted just these 'yes' respondents with updates and suggestions on how to write in to the planning office to show their support, see below... those that said 'No' heard nothing.
Scan of questionnaire:
more to follow...
3) RESULTS OF LOOE TOWN COUNCIL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
Q1. Do you want a supermarket in Looe? 67% yes
Q2. Where do you think is the best place for a supermarket? 48% Barbican Rd
Survey results looked at again...
Survey results looked at again...
It has been widely reported that 2/3rds of residents want a Tesco in Looe, however a re-examination of the results of the Looe Town Council household survey reveals that of the 1013 replies received, 487 (48%) supported the Barbican Road site whilst 526 (52%) either opposed the Barbican Road site or opposed a supermarket coming to Looe. This would indicate that whilst a majority of residents do want a supermarket somewhere in Looe, only a minority support the current proposals for the Barbican Road site.
see a critique of the survey undertaken by Looe Town Council below...
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We refer to Amethyst Property Investment's letter of 9 November, and in response to comments about the Looe Town Council household survey and to put this in context please consider the following :
- The survey area was extensive, well beyond the perimeter of Looe and included Polperro and the outlying districts of St Martins and Lansallos. Looe has around 2,300 households but a total 6,570 households were included in the survey and it is reasonable to conclude that respondents from outside of Looe would be more inclined to favour the development as they would experience less adverse impact and therefore the survey does not accurately represent local opinion.
- There is no breakdown of data between the two towns of Looe (East and West) or the postcode areas as was suggested would be done.
- To avoid expense the survey was done without professional guidance and mistakes were made in drafting the questions. The first question asked DO YOU WANT A SUPERMARKET IN LOOE? was too simplistic as it did not specify what size of supermarket and there are already two modestly sized supermarkets in Fore Street, Looe.
- The second question asked WHERE DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST PLACE FOR A SUPERMARKET? BARBICAN ROAD/OTHER? is a leading question as it suggests one specific location but not any others such as Polean which is regarded sequentially preferable in the GVA Grimley report. Furthermore those respondents wanting a Tesco would have been aware of the current planning application and would not have wished to jeopardise its realisation by suggesting "other" location even if they thought another location was preferable.
We trust that you will be able to take these points into account when considering the validity of the Looe Town Council household survey and the accuracy of its findings.
Yours sincerely
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4) THE COMMUNITY CONSULTATION PROCESS
Tesco held a two-day consultation exhibition in February of 2012 at the Looe Academy School which is just across the road from the application site. There was generally quite a bit of excitement locally to see the new proposals and with the promise of 180 jobs and 30 + affordable houses there were many visitors to the exhibition interested in getting their names down on the waiting lists for work and for housing.
A supporting brochure with questionnaire was made available at the exhibition to anyone wishing to fill it in, and we were encouraged to do so both by town councillors present and the Tesco staff. Tesco examined the questionnaires and soon after published a figure of 80/20 in favour, claiming overwhelming public support for their proposals. They circulated press releases and the numbers were widely reported in the papers, and have continued to be quoted right up to and including the planning committee meeting.
We make the following observations:
- The consultation sessions, although organised by Tesco, had the air of officialdom with councillors in attendance and we trusted the process,
- We understood their purpose was to inform and to consult, thereby ironing out any problems with the scheme at an early stage,
- We felt there was nothing wrong with Tesco establishing what level of public support they commanded so willingly filled in the questionnaire and gave our contact details.
- The wording of the questionnaire was fashioned, using Tesco's past experience, to produce answers they could employ to further their own case,
- Respondents to the questionnaire were only exposed to the positive aspects of the scheme as presented by the applicant without having time for the negatives to be examined,
- Visitors to the exhibitions represented many looking for jobs or for housing, so were not a representative cross-section of the town's population as a whole,
- Multiple sets of forms were seen to be taken by some visitors and there is no knowing if they were encouraged to do so,
- Local councillors were exposed to the resultant percentages published by Tesco of 80/20 in favour accompanied by claims of overwhelming support for the scheme, and thereafter felt unable to express their legitimate concerns as these did not appear to have popular support,
- Councillors almost always declined to give opinions voicing concerns about showing bias, although rules on 'predetermination' had already be relaxed by this date.
Use of data gathered via the questionnaire
The public consultation is a planning requirement and it was quite disturbing to discover Tesco selecting just those names who replied 'Yes' to the development on the questionnaire, and to discover they subsequently contacted just these 'yes' respondents with updates and suggestions on how to write in to the planning office to show their support, see below... those that said 'No' heard nothing.
Scan of questionnaire:
more to follow...
