Beleaguered supermarket giant Tesco has announced the closure of its Metro store in Caerphilly town centre.
The company said the the Cardiff Road store is unprofitable and will close on April 4 this year, affecting 52 staff.
Dave Lewis, Tesco chief executive, said: “In January I announced that our performance as a business has fallen significantly short of where we would want it to be and that to protect the future of the business in the UK we would close 43 unprofitable stores.
“It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that our Caerphilly Metro is one of the 43 we plan to close. The decision to close the store has been exceptionally difficult to take. I recognise it will affect many hard working colleagues, our customers and the local community.
“Our priority is to explain what this announcement means for our colleagues and wherever possible, offer them alternative roles with Tesco. I would like to thank all our customers who have shopped in our store. We will continue to do our best to serve them through our local Caerphilly Express and Brynhyfryd Express and our dotcom service.”
Caerphilly MP Wayne David: “This is very disappointing. It is bad news for customers and for people who work at the store. It is also bad news for the town centre. I only hope that another company will open up on the Cardiff Road site before too long. I will be liaising closely with the local council to do my best to make this happen.”
A spokesman for Tesco said: “We will be talking to colleagues individually over the coming weeks and where we can offer them alternative roles with Tesco.”
Caerphilly AM Jeff Cuthbert has said he is seeking a meeting about the closures with Tesco management and retail union Usdaw.
He said: “Following the announced closure of Tesco’s store in Caerphilly town, I’ve been actively seeking a meeting with Tesco representatives and the recognised Trade Union. Having spoken to both management and the union I’m hopeful a quick meeting can be put in place to discuss this important matter. Naturally my main concern is the welfare of employees that might be affected.”
Usdaw union national officer Pauline Foulkes said: “This is devastating news for over 2,000 dedicated staff in the 43 Tesco stores across the UK, who have worked hard to make their shop viable during a difficult time for the company.
“We will now enter into full and meaningful consultation meetings on this proposal, where we will look closely at the company’s business case for the closures.
“Our priority is to maximise employment within Tesco, seek redeployment opportunities for members, where possible, and to keep job losses to a minimum.”
Lindsay Whittle, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East, said the closure of the Tesco would be a double blow for the Gwent area given that ITW Foils in Blaenavon has also announced closure plans.
He said: “This is a double jobs blow for Gwent with Tesco and ITW Foils announcing closures.
“I feel for those faced with the loss of their employment. A cousin, who works at the Tesco Metro store in Caerphilly, is one of those facing the loss of her job. The Tesco closure is a surprise given that it has been a focal point in the centre of town since the 1970s.
“The local authorities need to act to help ensure these buildings in Caerphilly and Tredegar are filled by tenants as soon as possible.”
The Tesco branch has been a fixture of the town centre since opened in 1972. It was built on the site of The Clive Hotel, which was demolished to make way for the supermarket.
This has been on the cards for some years, locals have speculated that this shop was doomed by the opening of Crossways. The fact that delivery lorries have to reverse off Cardiff Road to get into the narrow lane must also be a factor in the closure.
Just hope its not going to be a betting, cash converter or charity shop – theres more than enough in Caerphilly as it is
Molly; another large betting office to open in the old Travel Agency shop on the end of Windsor Street, next to the Kings Arms.
It is a proper slap in the face for those who work there and for those who shop there,myself included. The only consolation-if there is one-is that their Crossways store is’nt that far from where I live.
I started working in this Tesco in September 1980. I transferred from there to Head Office in 1990. The 10 years I was working there we had numerous meetings as us staff heard that the store was moving to a new location. So almost 35 years down the line the announcement has officially been made that it’s closing. I feel sorry for the staff having to either find new jobs or are re-located there are still many working there from when I was there. I would like to wish them all the very best for their future.
Its going to be a big loss for Caerphilly, I thought Caerphilly was a major town because of the castle but its like Caerphilly is dying, especially the top of town where there are quite a few shops closed down, a few years ago Caerphilly was booming its really sad to see….
A lot of the stores are closing down due to people using Online shopping instead. It’s becoming more and more prevalent.
The demise you highlight does not appear to be the case at the thriving Castle Shopping Centre in Caerphilly town.
With proper investment by the local authority, more meaningful consultation with the public, proper managment and contol of planning applications on shops in Cardiff Road by elected Councillors and planners there is always a future for the retail trade.
Retail units have been given planning permissions for other uses, in Cardiff Road,reducing the number of available retail units, these are, Estate Agents, Pawn Shops, failed Hairdressers, betting shops, ( with a further one opening in Cardiff Road next to the Kings Arms on the corner of Windsor Street,) Amusment Arcades, Travel Agents, and Charity Shops, Coffee and tea Shops, Electronic and other smoking Items, and of course, many empty shops.
It is the staturory role of the Caerphilly council`s regeneration unit to ensure that as much effort is put into regenerating the Caerphilly Towns Commercial area, and invest money in this town as they do and have done in Bargoed, Blackwood, Risca and all points north, until that happens, and until local Caerphilly Councillors start shouting the needs of the town from the rooftops, so that those in aurthority start to listen the top of town trading role WILL die. It is probably just about at the tipping point of becoming unsustainable as a commercial area.
I and others often wonder in who`s interest it is to let it die????
I am glad this store is closing. Not only is it a step towards Caerphilly transforming away from a town full of supermarkets, hopefully it will finally make the council and those in Caerphilly realise the town centre is a lost cause. Town centres are of yesteryear. It is time we stop burying our heads in the sand, stop deluding ourselves about a false future for high streets or town centres, and accept Caerphilly is dying. The best thing we can do is help it go while continuing to transform Caerphilly into a service centre.
The only downside is the loss of jobs.
Dean how on earth you arrive at the fact that Caerphilly town centre is a lost cause,? I dont understand, unless, of course, you can explain the weekly foot fall of almost 200,000 in the Castle Shopping Centre, as being `a lost cause`.
I am shocked to hear it is 200,000. I question your figures. According to my referenced figures, the average footfall is 27,671 over a period of 12 weeks averaging out as 2305 people per week; much more realistic. Note, the highest footfall recorded in any 12 week period was only 49, 284, averaging as 4107 per week. It is declining every year too.
I do consider these referenced figures of mine to support my view Caerphilly Town centre is a lost cause. But footfall means nothing. All that matters is money being spent in shops, and shops surviving. With the town becoming filled with cafes, chain shops which themselves are struggling, and charity shops, the idea of a high street filled with a variety of shops is an unrealistic dream.
Investing in a town centre is the equivalent to rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.
Source:
http://www.democracy.caerphilly.gov.uk/Data/Caerphilly%20Town%20Centre%20Management%20Group/201402111330/Agenda/11%20Business%20Report%20-%20Caerphilly%20Town%20Centre%202013%20-%20051107.pdf
the numbers I quote are those published by the property company which ownes the Castle Shopping Centre,
You quote numbers which are even less than the numbers published by the Caerphilly Council for the top of town,an average of 65,000 per week, the last figures I have show this to be the case, according to CCBC`s own collated figures from a locally located foot counter adjacent to Glanmor`s bakers, the figure I quote for the Castle Shopping Centre is that which is produced by the property company which ownes the Castle shopping centre. These are contained in published Council minutes during last year.
Following your `logic` there would be no high streets in any town anywhere, that is not the case of course with many towns, particularly throughout England, thriving due to the will of Local Councils, trade organisations, etc. and individuals investing in those towns, I agree with you however, that Caerphilly `Top of Town`, is probably beyond repair, and has already tipped over the edge, this is due to neglect and lack of foresight by local elected Council members, planners, and the lack of general will to pull it out of the mire by the regeneration unit of the Caerphilly council over at least the past ten years or so.
Will Peacocks, Savers, Superdrug, or, Shaws be the next to bite the dust???., the question is when? unless someone in authority gets a grip.
I would appreciate a source for your figures. The council website I linked to shows a very different picture. Assuming your figures were accurate, how many of those people are counted twice as they walk back and for? How many of those people actually visit a shop? How many of those people came from the bus stop across the road?
The point is this. The traditional high street shops (butchers, florists, bakers, homeware, electronics, home furnishings) all exist as a supermarket department. Those shops will never exist on high streets again. We will only see charity shops, shoe shops, cafes, conveniences (Greggs), or services (solicitors and banks).
With online banking, online holiday booking, online legal advice, and people moving away from the high street, the current shops will close. Returning to your figures, I bet lots of those counted got off the bus, crossed the road, and walked down to Morrisons, or shopped at Morrisons only to grab a takeaway from Greggs or Glanmors.
It has nothing to do with planning, or the council. It is business. For traditional high street shops to exist they will not only need to attract people to the shops which are inconvenient to visit, but they will need to compete on price with supermarkets (just look at the difference in meat prices between supermarkets and a butcher’s).
Yes, Peacocks, Savers, Superdrug, and Shaws will soon bite the dust. There is nothing the council can do about it apart from make all parking free, pedestrianise the entire town centre, and abolish all business rates. Maybe when this is done the high street can stand a chance. It’s not practical though. The best thing for those shops you mentioned would be to open inside a large supermarket.
You seem to have the idea that high streets in England are flourishing. The truth is, apart from ones lines with take aways or those in popular tourist areas (e.g. Statford Upon Avon) which Caerphilly will never be able to compete with due to location, history and the lack of Shakespeare, English high streets are boarded up.
The figures for the Castle Shopping Centre can be had from thier Caerphilly Office,
But, I absolutely agree with you about the Top of Town foot fall figures produced by Caerphilly Council regeneration Unit, When these were being produce on a weekly basis by CCBC and relied upon by officer as an indicator of how sucessful and well the town was doing under their policies, The Town Residents Association pointed out to the Council how inacurate thier figures were, for intance, students attending St Matrins School pass this point at least four times a day, a considerable number four times a day being let out lunch times.
There are also a considerable number of people using the route to get to the railway station every day, so all in all not acurate at all is the answer to your question, but, I would make the point that it is these figures the regeneration unit of the Council depend on in respect to all consideration they give to planning, regeneration actions, anacdotal indicators of local traders takings etc, much the same as the same reneration unit will depend on the number of people attending THe Big Cheese as an indicator of how much local traders benefit from it, Rediculous of course. It is not possible to extraputate such findings from such inacurate data.
This is bad news for the top of town shopping centre, but not unexpected, it has been clear for all to see for sometime that this shop has been losing trade week on week, some of the reasons for this are also clear, poor stock selection compared to other large Tesco Stores, the problem in the town in the evenings with rampaging youngster hanging around the store and on the bus stops opposite, not exactly to a comfortable shopping experience in this store, and this has been the case for over two years, it does nothing to attract people to the store in the evening unless it`s to buy alcohol.
The pity is that none of this demise is down to the staff and it would be wrong if Tesco did not aborb them into other local Tesco stores.
As for Tesco loosing another trading outlet, they did immense harm to their trade when they had a `price promise` promotion, during which they reduce some prices, but what customers did not realise at the time was that Tesco INCREASED the cost of three item for every two they reduced to comensate, needless to say the items which increased in price were the more popular buys, no crocidile tears from me i`m affraid. Lets hope one of the other major supermarkets open a store in this location, and Tesco will not be allowed to `mothball` the store to prevent other traders from purveying their trade from there. Influence for Tesco not to mothball the store and stop that happening can be brought by the Regeneration Unit at Caerphilly Council and the Cabinet Members responsible for this sort of problem, who should already be on the job.
It will be a sad loss but maybe farmfoods will come in its place, yeah got to agree to many charity shops and hairdressers
To say ” Caerphilly is dying” is ridiculous!!! I’m a proud resident of Caerphilly- stand by my earlier comment but hope a good company invests in a prime location! What other welsh town is lucky enough to have the 2nd largest castle in Europe as it’s main attraction! 😀
THe big danger, as pointed out by an earlier comment, is that Tesco will just sit on the property and let it decay. We could end up with another ‘Co-Co Discount’ here where the land owner allows the building to lie empty and pays no rates. I hope that this does not happen but I am also sure that Tesco would not want Lidl/Aldi, or similar business, to start up in this prime site.
Why is this the responsibility of the Council? Let’s set the scene. Back in the 70s Caerphilly was filled with butchers and greengrocers, few people had cars and everyone had a milkman. Tesco comes along, demolished a great building to satisfy consumer need and greed. Then along comes Safeway as it was and we as consumers put the butchers etc out of business. Supermarkets don’t destroy towns, it’s the people who shop there. It’s z business – Tesco are going because Caerphilly people are not shopping there. Simple.
It is to do with the Caerphilly Council, because, everything Tesco did to establish this store where it is down to, Elected councillors, Planners, etc. who all reviewed the plans, considered the planning gains or not to the town, and allowed it, end of. Tesco cannot be blamed for plying their trade where ever they see a profit, the demise of other businesses is not their concern, It is however the concern, or should be, of elected Councillors who sit on the planning committees and the professionals who advise them, and Caerphilly CBC do so without much public consultation.
Trefor. Under planning law the need or commerciality of a development is not a consideration. The responsibility of Caerphilly Urban Distruct Council as it was then was simply ‘does the building confirm to building stands and the need it is intended”. Which it did. These days more things can be implied on planning applications but need is not one. So that comes back to my point. Why is the closing of a store the fault of the council. Caerphilly people obviously don’t want to shop there, the shop is not making money, the shop closes.
I think you have over simplified the planning application consideration process, the fact is that Councillors and planners, and, much better to take the community with them by proper consultation, does have an impact on the reasonability for refusing an application, every material consideration put forward has to be properly taken into account.
When an application is refused, the applicant can take action against the Council, but, in general they (the courts) have taken the view that planning is concerned with land use, and` community impact`, and, any reasons for refusing an application has been taken in the public interest,The applicant can lose the case. So it is not as simple a consideration as you say, and there are a lot and many strands of good sound reasons for refusing planning permission, to do so may need Councillor and Planning officer Backbone, the correct ` `in house` legal advice and a need for proper and considered views that the matter may end up in the Courts, and it is this last point which has flattened the road to all sorts of stupid and in some cases unsustainable large scale planning boobs being agreed on the nod. I am not suggesting TESCO Cardiff Road was one of these nodded through applications, but the fact it was built where it was has had an adverse effect on a number of local trading businesses over the years. it wouldbe interesting to see any impact issues raised by the planners and Councillors at the time, 1971, when they gave permission for the store.
The likes of Tesco will always throw in a few sweeteners to make sure their planning application is looked on favourably, we’d be niave to think otherwise, wasn’t the site in Trethomas earmarked for a few houses until Tesco came along and built there and as far as I know paid for the pedestrian crossing to be put in.
Sweetheart Deals in the Caerphilly Council? never, Tut Tut Tut
Sad to see another major chain leave Caerphilly town Centre. The state on the shops up the top end is shameful. The gradual demise of this end of town was almost inevitable once the castle court centre was opened and this is down the
planning strategy at Caerphilly council or its predecessors. Hopefully for the
Tesco staff there will be enough natural positions made available in the
countless other Tesco branches in the local area (Crossways, the Bowls, Castle
View, Trethomas and loads more in Cardiff and the rest of the valleys!)