Last updated at 15:17, Friday, 08 June 2012

A NEW report claims shopping habits in Ulverston prove the town does not need another supermarket.

The South Lakeland Retail Study Update 2012 report, says 57.7 per cent of people shop in Ulverston – a figure described as “reasonably healthy for a centre of its scale”.

Robinsons, which has applied to turn its Brewery Street site into a foodstore, had claimed 70 per cent of Ulverston’s food shopping spend is being lost to Barrow and other towns. And Sainsbury’s, which hopes to build a supermarket on the Bee Hive site off the A590, has said many people leave Ulverston for their weekly food shop.

Campaigners say the new South Lakeland District Council-commissioned report, produced by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners, destroys the case for bringing either store to Ulverston.

Councillor Colin Pickthall, chairman of campaign group Keep Ulverston Special, said: “Robinsons claimed retention was less than 30 per cent and over 70 per cent went to Barrow.

“Sainsbury’s has also been claiming that most shopping is done in Barrow.

“We always knew that was untrue and now we have the evidence to prove these claims were exaggerated.”

Sainsbury’s wants to build a 20,000 square feet store, and Robinsons a store of some 29,000 square feet over two floors.

But the retail report says the convenience capacity for Ulverston in 2012 is around 11,437 square feet and around 14,827 square feet by 2025. It also claims Ulverston people shop in Barrow because of their work patterns.

Cllr Pickthall said: “This would be utter madness. The evidence clearly shows Ulverston does not need one big supermarket, let alone two.

“Large superstores could only be sustained by wiping out all the food and convenience stores in Ulverston.”

Robinsons, which declined to comment, had indicated plans to would withdraw and re-submit its planning application after coming under fire from heritage organisations, but is yet to do so.

Jo Hawley, Sainsbury’s regional development executive, said: “SLDC’s figures suggest more than 40 per cent of money spent by Ulverston residents on food is done outside of the town – a significant amount of money lost every week.

“Some of these people may well work in Barrow, but this is not the case for everyone.

“It was very clear from our recent public exhibition that many people would like more choice and competition and would welcome the opportunity to do their main food shopping in Ulverston, rather than travelling to other towns.”

First published at 13:45, Friday, 08 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk