Louth will never get huge supermarket, say town councillors

A MARKET town will never get a super-sized supermarket according to councillors.

Louth Town Council has criticised the Nathaniel Litchfield report commissioned by East Lindsey District Council to look into the effects of a supermarket on the towns of Louth, Alford and Horncastle.

The report by the London-based consultants concluded that businesses in Louth would not be dramatically affected by a 2,000 square metre supermarket and highlighted Louth Cattle Market as a potential site.

The £24,000 retail report has formed part of the council's consultation into its draft core strategy.

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As part of that consultation, Louth Town Council has highlighted a number of concerns.

Councillors claimed that the town's market was not considered as part of the impact on the town centre. Councillor Andrew Leonard dubbed the whole report as flawed.

He said: "Holten le Clay was included as a catchment but most people there do not trail down to Louth. The whole thing is a waste of rate payers money and it has a hidden agenda we not yet know about."

Councillor Sue Locking said Louth will never have the large size supermarket some people want.

She said: "It will not stop people going to those big supermarkets. If Morrison's expanded then that should provide us with enough shopping to satisfy this report.

In agreement, Councillor Andrew Leonard, added: "Those people who think Louth Town Council are against supermarkets are wrong.

"What we are against are people thinking we are going to get a superstore. We are never going to get that size in Louth.

"We will never meet the expectations they want. The cattle market is not big enough and all East Lindsey will do will set that site and net the money.

"They would have to answer to the electorate about why they've sold Louth's family silver off and will have a very big question to answer."

Councillor Chris Green said Louth will lose more than what it will gain from having a huge supermarket.

The report stated that 600 residents were telephone interviewed as part of the report's research , but councillors said they do not know anybody who was interviewed.