2MMERCURY June 13, 2008
e-mail: mercury@hertsessexnews.co.ukSUPERMARKETCLEANSWEEP:ASDAwants to open in Ware, while Tesco,
centre, and Sainsbury8217s have unveiled plans for Hertford Stores compete for
market town share MERCURYTHISWEEKINSIDEYOURHOMES andDRIVECOLLEGE TALENT ON
SHOWPages 12-13HOCKEY PLAYERS8217
TOP AWARDPage80Late-duty chemists...................6
Letters....................................8-9
Village News......................20-21
People................................25-29
Memories............................28
Sevendays........................
33-53
Family notices...................55-56
Jobs.....................................58-65
Classified ads.....................66-72
Sport...................................73-80Locations of
speed cameras
in East HertsFriday:
Stevenage,
Bishop8217s Stortford
Sunday:
Stevenage
Tuesday:
Bishop8217s
Stortford
Wednesday:
Stevenage,
Cheshunt, Wormley
Thursday:
Wormley161716161717FRIDAY:
Showers.
Wind:
8mph, north-westerly.
Temperature:
max 17C (62.6F), min 7C (44.6F).
Sunrise:
04.40.
Sunset:
21.23.SATURDAY:
Showers.
Wind:
8mph, north-
westerly.
Temperature:
max 16C (60.8F), min
7C (44.6F). Sunrise:
4.40.
Sunset:
21.23.SUNDAY:
Showers.
Wind:
8mph, north-
westerly.
Temperature:
max 17C (62.6F), min
7C (44.6F). Sunrise:
4.40.
Sunset:
21.24.1517MONDAY:
Showers.
Wind:
7mph, north-
easterly.
Temperature:
max 17C (51.8F), min
6C (42.8F). Sunrise:
4.39.
Sunset:
21.24.WITH ASDA entering the fray
to win Hertford and Ware
shoppers8217 cash, it seems the
area is under siege from the
big supermarkets.Tesco wants to double the size
ofits Ware Road store in
Hertford while Sainsbury8217s is
still working on a revised pro-
posal for the former McMullen
brewery in Hartham Lane.
Yesterday, a spokesman for
Sainsbury8217s said: 8220We have had
meetings with East Herts
Council officers and are hoping
to address the concerns raised
in their report on our previous
planning application.
8220We hope to be able to submit
revised plans in July.8221
Meanwhile, reaction to the
plans by the three biggest UK
supermarkets has been mixed
among Hertford traders.
Steve Millwood, manager of
Albany Radio in Fore Street,
said: 8220It is worrying because
with small products like kettles
people will often pick one up
from the supermarket with their
local shop not come to a shop
like ours.
8220We saw it happen with our
shop in Enfield and it has affect-
ed the business but we had to
adapt the stock there to larger
things like TVs and washing
machines that people will often
want advice about.
8220What is really concerning is
that it will affect shops that offer
services like dry cleaning and
mending shoes so much so that
they may close and therefore
less people will come into the
town.
8220It is so expensive to keep a
shop in Hertford. We pay 1631,500
business rates a month as well
as 16335,000 a year on rent. And
once shops close they seem to
stay empty for ages, which is not
good for the town.8221
Melvyn Cooper, manager of
East Herts Electrical in Market
Street, added: 8220It just sounds
like another nail in the coffin for
the small shops. It really is a
double-edged sword in the sense
that it may bring more people
into the town but small busi-
nesses are bound to suffer.8221
But Allison Bates, owner of
women8217s clothes store Ginger
Lillie in Railway Street, was
more optimistic.
She said: 8220Supermarket
clothes are about stocking thou-
sands ofthe same item which is
not directly in competition with
my shop as my clothes are really
quite niche.
8220Having more supermarkets
may bring more people to the
town but you don8217t want major
stores taking over from the
small independent businesses,
having the independent shops
like us are what both Hertford
and Ware are all about.8221
Suzie Purser, ofKitten bou-
tique in Hertford8217s Parliament
Square, said: 8220I don8217t think it
would affect our business as we
are not really in the same sector
in terms ofclothing but I do
think having three supermar-
kets within four miles ofeach
other is completely unnecessary.
8220It really seems like over
development. Hertford and Ware
are small market towns 8211 too
many supermarkets would kill
them.8221
Stephen Poulter, from
books@Hertford, said: 8220The
supermarkets give the illusion
ofchoice but they only have
about 100 books to choose from
whereas we have over 8,000.
8220It is important that people
consider that when they buy a
book at halfprice from a super-
market they are putting their
local book shop at risk.8221By AMYROBERTS &
DANIELPHILLIPSaroberts@hertsessexnews.co.uk8220What is really concerning
is that it will affect shops
that offer services like dry
cleaning and mending shoes
so much so that they may
close.8221
Steve Millwood
Albany Radio, Hertford
8220The supermarkets give
the illusion of choice but
they only have 100 books to
choose from whereas we
have over 8,000.8221
Stephen Poulter, books@Hertford
8220Having more
supermarkets may bring
more people to the town but
you don8217t want major stores
taking over from the small
independent businesses8221
Allison Bates
Ginger Lillie, Hertfordww
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