Concerned over negative impact
Quirky shops are just not enough
Jennifer Evans,
Thame
I’M sure that you have been bombarded with emails regarding this matter – however after weeks of silence I wanted to stick my oar in.
I am a fairly new resident to Thame (moved in July 2011) and I have to say goodness me what a lot of fuss people are making over this site.
While I love living in Thame – it is a very beautiful town – I am baffled over the lack of sensible shops here.
There are numerous quirky places that you can idle a few hours and few hundred pounds in.
However there is nowhere to buy reasonably priced children’s clothing.
I have moved from Seaham, a harbour town near Sunderland which is roughly double the size of Thame, it has an Asda, Wilkinsons, Argos, New Look and three other supermarkets.
When it was proposed that a new shopping centre be built, the residents were up in arms, much like Thame is now.
However, it provided numerous jobs and brought shoppers into Seaham while of course making lots of people very happy.
I personally think that Thame needs something practical on this site, so why not a larger supermarket because let’s be fair, the average family cannot afford to do a weekly shop at Waitrose, and the Co-Op and mini Sainsbury’s don’t exactly fulfil the needs of Thame.
I think Asda or Tesco would be the way forwards as a lot of people I have come to meet since moving here go out of town to High Wycombe or Wheatley.
I don’t think it would detract from the High Street trade as let’s face it the people who shop in some of the ‘posh shops’ would continue to do so. I think that using the site this way would make a great deal of residents happy, despite the fact most of them seem to be grumbling.
But who wouldn’t want to be able to save on their weekly food shop? I for one would be a very happy camper.
Concerned over negative impact
Name and address supplied
WE agree with the recent article from the manager of the Oxfam Bookshop and letters in The Thame Gazette concerned about the negative impact that a Sainsbury’s Superstore will have on our town centre shops.
Thame is already sufficiently provided for by the current three supermarket chains already situated within the town.
It is naive to think that people coming to shop in Sainsbury’s will also visit the town centre shops.
The majority will only be interested in going into Sainsbury’s.
You only have to visit any Sainsbury’s store to see that there is a lot more than just food available.
It is ridiculous to believe that such a large store will sell only food.
As residents of the town centre, who love where we live, we can see how the area around us and our neighbours will be blighted by this particular development.
Let’s not forget how large this store will be. There will be extra traffic, pollution and noise as well as congestion as traffic queues to get into the site, as it currently does into the existing Waitrose store. Not to mention the delivery lorries that will be arriving and leaving at all hours of the day and night. Ms Ellis (who wrote to The Thame Gazette last recently) obviously does not live in the cattle market area.
How can an enormous superstore that will stand out like a sore thumb be architecturally pleasing in a mainly residential area of a unique market town like Thame.
I wonder how she would feel if it were to be built on her doorstep.
Currently during busy times at weekends and events such as Thame Food Festivals, Thame Carnival, switching on the Christmas lights etc, all of which are increasing in popularity and attracting business into the town centre shops, parking is already almost impossible in and around the town.
How will the addition of a superstore with its own customers requiring parking space on site help this situation.
Parking in the cattle market or anywhere is at a premium during such times.
Our neighbours and ourselves rely on street parking, which we already find extremely difficult due to people working and visiting the town taking the few available spaces.
We are concerned that any increased parking in the town, which Sainsbury’s say it will finance, will not meet the shortfall from losing the cattle market car park, thus worsening the problem of residents being unable to park.
We are strongly in favour of a community facility on the cattle market site.
As well as being something for the whole community this would still allow those who currently use the site to park for work or to shop etc to continue do so.
We keep hearing about the future of the cattle market, but securing the future of our town by protecting it from greedy supermarkets like Sainsbury’s which only has its own interests at heart is just as important.
People are attracted to Thame because of how it is now. Once Sainsbury’s arrives along with all the problems it will bring, there will be no going back.
Give us a new car park and theatre
Jayne Berks,
Address supplied
THE chairman of Thame Cattle Market is bound to support Sainsbury’s, after all the promises the store has made to them.
Most people agree to the cattle market move but not to Sainsbury’s moving there.
We need a big car park and a community centre which also houses a theatre for Thame Players.
We have three supermarkets which is quite adequate.
Pathetic waste of our energy ...
Gabbie Linnard,
Address supplied
I FEEL compelled to write in and vent my fury at what I can only describe as pathetic attitudes people have towards what is essentially progress in Thame.
Anyone would think the much-publicised Sainsbury’s plans are in fact plans for housing which reintroduces murderers and the like back into society.
Why such an outpouring of anger, it is all just wasted energy.
Thame is full of pointless shops with little substance.
Can anyone help me with history?
Harry Coenen,
Address supplied
I AM trying to get in touch with the people behind www.thamehistory.net
More specific Allan Hickman and Dave Bretherton, the authors of “Thame Inns Discovered” the book about the history of Thame’s pubs.
Unfortunately all email addresses found on the site give errors as a return, and so does the administrative address registered with WHOIS.
So getting desperate I am kindly asking you if you can forward this message to anyone who could possibly help getting in touch with the authors of that lovely little booklet.
If you can help in any way you can contact me by email on pharryecoenen@aol.com
Thanks in advance