Tesco has announced plans for an eleventh store in Liverpool city centre, causing some concern among shopkeepers.
The new Express store, to be built in the old Spar unit of the former Pioneer buildings at 57 Dale Street, has led some to fear for the survival of local shops. The area is already home to a number of newsagents, sandwich shops and other small businesses.
Samir Ahmed, manager of Muskers News, a newsagent’s located opposite the proposed Tesco site, told JMU Journalism: “Opening the new store will affect all small business such as newsagents, bakeries, coffee shops and off licences.”
He added that while Tesco could create jobs, there is also potential for job losses if other businesses close down as a result of the new store.
Wayne Colquhoun, of the Liverpool Preservation Trust, told the Liverpool Echo: “Every little hurts in my opinion and being a small shopkeeper myself I fear for the sole traders in the locality.”
He added: “Do we need another Tesco? They are taking over the city. If this carries on we will have to call the city Tescopool.”
Liverpool Central councillor Nick Small supports Tesco’s application. He told JMU Journalism: “I do not think it is directly competing with smaller businesses.
“In the last ten years there has been a significant increase in the residential population and these people do not necessarily have cars to get to larger out of town stores. People are shopping once a day and Tesco are not competing because food retailers, not greengrocers for example, are offering a new service.”
A Tesco spokesperson said the company is proud of the positive outcomes of its investment in the city, saying: “We have seen it with some of our larger stores, especially in Park Road, and the difference it has made to job creation in the area.
“Our Express stores offer customers choice and convenience and we are pleased to be investing and opening another store in Liverpool.”
Plans include building four anti ram raid bollards, new entrance doors and the installation of a new shop front. Tesco also seeks to extend opening hours, to begin retailing at 6am.