I HAVE read with interest the debate in the Review letters page concerning the possibility of Tesco establishing a store in Cinderford. In order to 'nail my colours to the mast,' I have to say that I entirely agree with Wendy Corum's letter in support of the Co-op on February 22.
Overall the Co-op has been good for Cinderford and district and unlike companies like Tesco, you can actually elect in a management committee as a member, which gives members a say in the running of the company. Unless you are a very large shareholder in Tesco, you will have little or no say in that company.
I was surprised that in his/her letter, C. Fawlk claimed that the coming of Tesco would lead to more diversity of shops and less monopoly in Cinderford. I would suggest that C. Fawlk and others who support the coming of Tesco might like to speak to people living in other small towns invaded by Tesco. They will find that the reverse is true.
As for claims of 'astronomical prices' in the Co-op store, I can vouch that the Co-op store has quite a few lines which are as cheap and in some cases cheaper than in Tesco. Conversely, Tesco has quite a few grocery lines, plus its motor fuel prices, which vary from area to area, which are dearer than the Co-op and indeed Lidl, which some people forget is also a store in Cinderford which could be lost with any arrival of Tesco. I would make one further point that unlike Tesco, the Co-op has a free local delivery service, which is very useful for those unable to carry heavy shopping on a bus. If you do your shopping in the Co-op and providing it's over £25 the Co-op will deliver it free to the local area. Tesco also operate a home delivery service, but unlike the Co-op this service only operates 'on line,' which necessitates access to a computer, something that many people do not have.
You are unable, unlike the Co-op, to call into your local store and select what you want, this is done by members of the Tesco dot com team. My daughter, who lives in Hampshire and is disabled, sometimes has the Tesco delivery service, for which she pays £4-£6 extra, depending of the time of day, and of course relies on someone else selecting her groceries. She has sometimes had items with a very short shelf life left delivered, or, if the store has run out of a particular commodity, something else substituted which she does not like. I suggest to C. Fawlk and those of a similar opinion that the arrival of Tesco, which hopefully will never happen, will not lead to Cinderford becoming a town running with milk and honey.
The Co-op have tabled some very positive proposals for Cinderford and have indeed offered to buy Cinderford Rugby Club's existing ground unconditionally to facilitate their swift move to their new ground at St White's Farm. The Co-op's proposals will not lead to excess traffic coming through Cinderford, either via Bell View Road or through the town centre, as would certainly be the case if Tesco get their way.
Like Wendy Corum, I also say three cheers for our local Co-op and long may it remain with us. – Mike Morgan, Cinderford.