14-Jul-2004, 02:01 PM
quote:
FURIOUS town centre traders in Leyland have lashed out at supermarket plans which they claim could cost them their livelihoods.
Bosses at Leyland Garage Service Centre and Duchy Car Body Repairs, both located on Towngate, say they have nowhere to go following the announcement of plans to build a new Aldi store on their land.
The two companies were warned they had to relocate by landlords Valley House Holdings after a deal with the supermarket giants was struck.
An application has been submitted to South Ribble Council by Aldi to build a new store with car parking facilities on the site at the junction of Towngate and Westgate.
It is expected to be considered by the authority's planning committee later this summer.
Valley House say they have given the firms plenty of help to move premises.
But Gordon Martin, proprietor of Leyland Garage Service Centre, claims the future looks bleak for his business and staff.
Mr Martin says he has not been offered an alternative site in Leyland town centre and claims he will lose regular customers if the business is moved out of town.
He said: "We have been here 12 years but now we are being forced to move out. The rug is being taken from under our feet and we have nowhere to go.
"We cannot find anywhere to relocate in the area. It's just impossible to find somewhere suitable.
"The council is not helping. Every time we come up with some place, they say we have to go to Moss Side. That will lose us customers.
"There's at least three families with children who are affected by this. If we can't find somewhere, there's three or four of us who could lose our jobs."
http://www.leylandtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=77&ArticleID=822262
FURIOUS town centre traders in Leyland have lashed out at supermarket plans which they claim could cost them their livelihoods.
Bosses at Leyland Garage Service Centre and Duchy Car Body Repairs, both located on Towngate, say they have nowhere to go following the announcement of plans to build a new Aldi store on their land.
The two companies were warned they had to relocate by landlords Valley House Holdings after a deal with the supermarket giants was struck.
An application has been submitted to South Ribble Council by Aldi to build a new store with car parking facilities on the site at the junction of Towngate and Westgate.
It is expected to be considered by the authority's planning committee later this summer.
Valley House say they have given the firms plenty of help to move premises.
But Gordon Martin, proprietor of Leyland Garage Service Centre, claims the future looks bleak for his business and staff.
Mr Martin says he has not been offered an alternative site in Leyland town centre and claims he will lose regular customers if the business is moved out of town.
He said: "We have been here 12 years but now we are being forced to move out. The rug is being taken from under our feet and we have nowhere to go.
"We cannot find anywhere to relocate in the area. It's just impossible to find somewhere suitable.
"The council is not helping. Every time we come up with some place, they say we have to go to Moss Side. That will lose us customers.
"There's at least three families with children who are affected by this. If we can't find somewhere, there's three or four of us who could lose our jobs."
http://www.leylandtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=77&ArticleID=822262
Martin ~