Future of former Morrisons building in Tunbridge Wells remains uncertain
Michael Romyn
IT is nearly three years since the former Morrisons supermarket in Tunbridge Wells closed its doors for the last time, yet the future of the derelict site remains unresolved.
Leader of the borough council Cllr Roy Bullock this week branded the empty 28,000sq ft building "embarrassing" to the town but said there was little chance of a business moving in due to the state of the economy.
And shop owners adjacent to the site on Vale Road told the Kent and Sussex Courier the vacant property had hurt business because of a reduction in passing trade.
Morrisons, the UK's fourth largest food retailer with 375 stores, closed the store in October 2006 resulting in the loss of 116 jobs.
But it still holds the lease, which has more than 10 years left to run on the store owned by Canada Life.
Commenting on the borough council's earlier pledge to help attract new business to the site, Cllr Bullock said the council had talked to Morrisons and Canada Life about finding a new occupier but it was proving "very, very difficult."
He added: "Canada Life are quite happy to be receiving the lease value on an annual basis. It is up to Morrisons to negotiate with another trader to take on the whole or part of the lease but in this time of economic difficulty that will be hard to do.
"It is embarrassing for the town to see it empty. It's not nice to see any shops in the town empty. They can become grot spots."
Manager of Cartiers Dry Cleaners, Ozcan Muharrem, said his business had been directly affected by the supermarket's closure.
He said: "A year after Morrisons shut, I was surprised I was still here. I had to let a member of staff go.
"The foot traffic has gone. People, particularly elderly people, used to drop their clothes in when they visited the supermarket. They would use the in-store post office, the cafe, do their shopping and drop their clothes off, then pick them up the following week. It was very convenient for them."
Owner of Joseph Isaac Hair Design, Russell Hales, added: "Its closure has affected everything down here. A couple of shops have had to close. As far as the actual shop goes, it's an eyesore. If something were to move in, it would help us all down here."
Cllr Bullock agreed the closure of Morrisons had reduced foot fall on Vale Road.
He added: "We would be open to anybody going in there and trading successfully. If Morrisons found someone to buy the lease or came up with a scheme to subdivide the building into smaller units to sublet and reduce the amount of money it had to pay Canada Life, that would be welcome by the council."
Head of planning and development at Batcheller Thacker estate agents and chartered surveyors in Tunbridge, Wells Nicholas Ide, said the position of Tunbridge Wells station opposite the site made it "very attractive."
He added: "Clearly the site didn't work as a supermarket but there is definitely scope for a mixed development; a smaller food shop and boutique-type shops, a development that will draw on the movement from the station."
Spokesman for Canada Life Mike Roberts said: "We have had discussions with the borough council but as it stand, to move this forward, we need to get Morrisons on board."
Morrisons spokeswoman Katie Neasham said the company was attempting to sub-let the property and a number of parties were interested.
However, she could not confirm which parties.
18 Comments
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by Gabriella Coscia, Tunbridge Wells
Sunday, November 08 2009, 10:32AM
“That store would make a perfect Waitrose food and home ! or a mini waitrose and Poundland.
I have to concur with the comments above. It is shocking that a major town like Tunbridge Wells has only a Tesco Metro in the centre, a large Sainsburys to the west of town a small Sainsburys local to the east of town and a bigger but still inadequate Tesco at Pembury.
Personally Morrisons are pits, as are Asda but that is just a personal preference but I am sure Waitrose would do very well in Tunbridge Wells.
May be someone at Morrisons has a grudge on Tunbridge Wells from years gone by so what's to waste the shareholders money keeping it empty. Shameful -
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council seem to me to be incompetent, how can you leave a cinema site lying derelict 10 years and expect to keep existing retailers in the town. Any decent council would have issued a Compulsory Purchase order flattened the existing buildings and then sold it on to a new developer whilst ensuring people got what they wanted including a new cinema if not on the existing cinema site then further down on one of the other sites. Where there is a will there is a way, sadly may be TW needs a new council make up that isn't conservative - vote Liberal”
by Alastair Jessel, Taywell Farm Shop, Goudhurst
Wednesday, July 29 2009, 2:50PM
“We are planning on opening a farm shop on the High Street about 20 metres away so we would be delighted for it to remain empty, sorry to say. Although not a supermarket, at least we will be able to provide locally sourced food for everyone there.”
by j shorty, Tunbridge wells
Monday, July 13 2009, 4:36PM
“Tunbridge wells council are to blame for this, i know for a fact that various supermarkets have applied for there business here but are always refused, Tunbridge Wells is the only place i know where there is such a shortage of decent sized supermarkets, I lived in Croydon before and i had 3 large supermarkets within 2miles of where i lived. Its pathetic Tunbridge wells needs to wake up and give the residents who live there a better choice of Supermarkets to shop at, and decent size to!.”
by Patrick, From SE In NW
Monday, July 13 2009, 2:48PM
“How strange that folk should think that theirs some dodgy dealing at the council over this? Where could they have got such a scurrilous idea from!??? Ha ha! Spot on I say! :)
Morrisons also deliberately ran down the store. (OK, so Safeways weren't exactly keeping it clean beforehand but......) The Post Office in there was the replacement for the Main Post Office just down the road (after it's short run on Grove Hill Road with it's dodgy owners) They had no reason to close that . Ditto the Chemist. Sure it was a lot quieter once Sainsbury's opened - but being by the station must have kept things ticking over. No. The "Recession" is just an excuse - Supermarkets are building new stores across the country - Sainsbury's are extending it's existing store and building a major new one where I live - despite there being 5 Tescos of varying shapes and sizes round about. Ergo the buck must stop with the council.”
by Ruth Adams, Tunbridge Wells
Wednesday, July 08 2009, 9:26AM
“I find it mad that a town the size of Tunbridge Wells only has one real-size supermarket - Sainsbury's - and a small Tesco's - both of which most people have to drive to - and yet Crowborough, a smaller town, has many more, for everyone's price range - a Waitrose to a Lidl.
Alas, Tunbridge Wells council operates a little shadily I fear - just look at the great town centre behemoth of the empty cinema - I know several people on the council who have given reports of perfectly good planning applications being turned down for secret reasons... etc... etc... yet our council tax goes up, Kent county council lost our money in Iceland, so it goes on. Vote them out!”
by Snake, Tunbridge Wells
Tuesday, July 07 2009, 1:38PM
“I doubt the Tunbridge Wells council are doing much about it. The council tax just goes up and up, refuge collection less and less frequent, roads more and more pot holes. Fat cats getting fatter and fatter.”
by Russell Green, Sidney Close, Tunbridge Wells
Tuesday, July 07 2009, 12:36PM
“If there is any chance of the Council giving some kind of incentive to Waitrose to open there, then it should do so. The station supermarket was always very handy, even more so with a Post Office inside it. The current state of the building just detracts further from the impression that TW wants to give.”
by Rachael, Tunbridge Wells
Saturday, July 04 2009, 8:16AM
“A supermarket wouldn't work on that site? I don't think so, we only have one decent supermarket, and that's Sainsburys. I'm sure an Asda or Waitrose would do really well on that site.
And as the lady below suggested an Ikea would be great!
But like Tunbridge Wells always do, we'll get something completely pointless...like another Spa. Good question as to when the cinema development happens, probably in another 10 years time!!
The Pound and less shop can stay in Tonbridge!”
by coomon sense, TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Friday, July 03 2009, 4:01PM
“CLANRICARDE MEDICAL CENTRE IS SEEKING A NEW HOME ASTHEY'LL LOSE THEIR CURRENT SITE IF THE CINEMA DEVELOPMENT EVER HAPPENS
WHYNOT MOVE THEM INTO MORRISONS OR ONE OF THE EVER INCREASING EMPTY SHOP SITES IN THE TOWN WOOLLIES WOULD BE EVEN MORE CONVENIENTS FOR PATIENTS BUT THEN THE OBVIOUS DOESN'T INVOLVE SPENDING TWICE AS MUCH AS NECESSARY SO THE PCTAND/OR COUNCIL WON'T DO IT”
by Michelle, Tunbridge Wells
Thursday, July 02 2009, 8:44PM
“Why don't they open an Ikea or something for young people down there? An ice rink would be great or a sports centre. I find it terribly unnerving when I park in the car park and half the lights do not work because they are operated from inside the old Morrisons. It's a safety hazard.”