One of the world's retailing successes threatens to invest millions in our town, to employ 900 plus people, to pay its lowest grade warehouse staff wages far beyond the reach of many employed people in the area and as a collateral benefit, stimulate an estimated 450 additional jobs in local businesses according to the Cranfield Business School.
One would think that might be a good thing for the town, but not we Andover folk.
Anything new we reject out of hand, often with a good lick of emotional subjectivity. I remember one reader's letter forecasting road rage, even deaths as a result of introducing the traffic light-controlled junction between Bridge Street and Western Avenue!
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The latest evidence to support opponents of the plan comes from a resident of Fradley who reports that Tesco are a pretty bad lot and break promises. Check it out - I have.
I have spoken to another resident who tells me that Tesco have proven themselves to be good neighbours.
Moreover, when there have been any difficulties, Tesco have acted quickly to resolve them. Companies like Tesco need distribution centres.
All the majors use them. It's the only way they can get such a wide range of generally high quality produce to us at such competitive prices.
Without each one of the massive trunkers delivering to our local store we would have dozens of smaller vehicles, each one doing very nearly as much environmental damage and adding a fortune to our shopping bills.
If Andover rejects the warehouse, Tesco will go somewhere else. The trucks will still be on the roads because we still buy the food that companies like Tesco supply so efficiently. The difference is that another area will benefit from the investment and the extra jobs.
Come on Andover; smell the coffee. The potential benefits are huge, so rather than carp, lets see if we can work with Tesco and our planners to make this proposed centre a world beater. For instance, has anyone examined the possibility of using the old MoD railway line to see if some imported products could be moved to the site by rail direct from Southampton docks? It would be ecologically friendly and if it were possible, might even get the support of the odd Andovarian.
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