Residents fear Argos store will 'lower the tone' of town

Residents are outraged the store may open in their town
13 April 2012

Residents horrified by the prospect of an Argos store opening in their picture postcard town have launched a campaign amid fears it will "lower the tone" of the place.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition after news circulated that the town's Waitrose supermarket is to close and be replaced by a branch of the catalogue store.

The site of the controversy in affluent Lymington, Hants, has caused outcry among shopkeepers and protective residents who fear it will attract the wrong calibre of person.

Now they hope to block plans for the John Lewis group, which owns Waitrose, to sell the lease on the prominent site in the heart of the tranquil New Forest town.

Campaign leader and owner of Amanini women's clothing boutique which is opposite, Pippa Redman, said: "Everyone in the area is absolutely horrified by the news."

"The word is going round and there are literally hundreds of people who want to fight against it. "I have now started a petition which several hundred people have signed."

"Something must be done to keep Argos out and stop us becoming just another clone town."

"Most people round here have never even heard of Argos. The demographic here is simply not right for it."

"This is a beautiful old Georgian market town, we have lovely little shops and boutiques selling flowers, antiques and clothes - Argos would be completely out of place."

"They are talking about putting this store right on the street where everyone can see it. It will stand out like a beacon."

"Once you get started with the likes of Argos then the next thing you know there's a Currys and all the other names like that - it would lower the tone of Lymington."

"We already have a Woolworths in the centre of the town and people who want to order things of that ilk can shop there."

"It's a very ugly building as it is. At least as a Waitrose it is subtle and attracts a certain calibre of customer."

"But an Argos would lower the tone and drive out that calibre of people because they would stop shopping here or moving here to live."

Miss Redman, 53, now intends to send the petition to Argos and the John Lewis group to protest against the potential deal.

She added: "John Lewis has a choice here and they should be dismissing Argos."

"They take the moral high ground by saying that their eggs are chosen from this particular farm or that their meat comes from this source."

"But that moral high ground is being completely turned on its head by considering selling the lease to someone like Argos."

"I went round all the shops in the area to tell them because if and when Argos move in, it's highly likely that all those shops will no longer be in existence."

"I fear that an Argos store could spell the end for some of the small businesses operating in the town and change the character of Lymington."

Miss Redman said that an Argos store could cause traffic and parking problems in the town as well as threatening its character and many existing small retailers.

She argues that it stores of its size should be located on out of town sites, adding: "It's not a shop I believe belongs in a little old town."

The Waitrose site, which covers almost 2,000 square metres on St Thomas Street, is currently being marketed for an annual rent of 230,000 pounds on a 30-year lease.

Miss Redman said rumours that Argos was contemplating moving into the area circulated two months ago when they conducted a survey in the town.

But residents' worst fears were realised this month when letting agents acting on behalf of Waitrose announced that Argos was one of three parties interested in the site.

A final decision on who will take over the lease is likely to be made as early as next week, she claimed.

Jonathan Corby from Gooch Cunliffe Whale chartered surveyors, acting for Waitrose, said: "We have had quite a few offers on the site which we have been working through."

"We will take these to Waitrose and they will instruct us."

"It is very difficult for me to say anything except to confirm that no decision has been made and the final decision will lie with Waitrose."

Lymington Chamber of Trade declined to comment stating that it had nothing to add to the debate.

Argos spokeswoman Denise Bigwood said: "Lymington is an area that Argos is interested in but we are not committed to the proposal yet."

"We don't want to comment any further until we make a final decision."

She refused to comment on whether an Argos store would "lower the tone" of Lymington.

Argos was founded in 1973 and now has 670 stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.

In the last financial year, Argos sales topped 3.8 billion pounds, serving over 130 million customers a year.

On average, 17 million UK households, or around two thirds of the population, have an Argos catalogue at home at any time, according to the company's website.

Argos expects to add around 30 stores per annum with the chain expected to exceed 800 over time.

Its internet site is the second most visited internet retail site in the UK.

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