Sir, I was surprised that no one seems to have responded to the piece about the ‘restrictive conditions’ imposed on Morrisons so I thought I’d better do so myself.
Councillor John Cotton claims “. . . I have the best interests of Wallingford at heart”. What rubbish, Cotton has the best interests of Cotton at heart. He voted against Morrisons’ planning application and having found himself on the wrong side he is now putting whatever he can dream up in Morrisons’ way, no doubt hoping that Morrisons will get fed up and pull out. Thus he would have effectively overturned the planning permission democratically approved by SODC.
Let’s take a quick look at some of these restrictions. First, they’ve already agreed to provide or subsidise a new bus route, to build to ‘very good’ standards and to contribute over £640,000 towards good works in Wallingford.
Now Cotton wants sales to be restricted to 80 per cent food and 20 per cent other. What does he know about running a supermarket? Cotton doesn’t like the early delivery hours. That’s good, I thought, he must be wanting later hours for the benefit of residents. But, no, Cotton wants earlier delivery — unbelievable. The store is on the edge of town! By contrast, Waitrose articulated trucks rumble up and down Wantage Road all day every day. He’d be better off doing something about that.
The plans were passed. For heaven’s sake, just let Morrisons get on with building the store without all this pettifogging nonsense. Cotton should bear in mind that in a poll taken before any plans were submitted that a large majority of Wallingford residents and shoppers wanted this store, not least because it would provide competition for Waitrose and the Esso filling station.
May I suggest that Cotton takes himself back to Sandford-on-Thames and the sooner the better. If this is what it means to have a cabinet member ‘championing the town’ then, in my opinion, Wallingford was better off without one.
Rod Paddock
Wantage Road
Wallingford
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