Tesco in superstore blunder

In a letter to a Bilton resident a customer service manager said: “I am afraid I can’t give you any good news, as our chief executive, Dave Lewis, has called a halt on any future development or expansion for the foreseeable future.”

However, Tesco have said that this was a mistake.

Spokesman Mark Thomas said: “We’re sorry that the letter sent from our customer services team was incorrect.

“We’re still very much looking forward to opening our superstore in Harrogate and are pressing ahead with plans for that.”

As reported in the Harrogate Advertiser last week, the supermarket giant has pulled out of plans to convert the Skipton Pub on Skipton Road into a Tesco Express store after councillors called for a barrier to stop traffic at school drop off times.

Mr Thomas added: “Following a review of the proposals we made the difficult decision to not proceed with our plans to open a convenience store at the site of the former Skipton pub.”

Killinghall resident Bob Jones said he was delighted when he thought Tesco had shelved the superstore plan. He said: “I didn’t quite do a little jig but I was very happy, but then this. Even Tesco don’t know what’s going on, the customer services haven’t just made it up, they must have referred to something.

“I am not anti-Tesco, but that store will make traffic on Skipton Road chaos.”

TIMELINE

MARCH 2008 - Harrogate became the last postcode in the UK without a Tesco supermarket.

SEPTEMBER 2009 - Tesco unveiled revised plans.

SEPTEMBER 2011 - Planning permission was granted.

AUGUST 2013 - Plans put on hold again to accommodate the Tour de France.

JANUARY 2015 - Tesco told by NYCC to rewrite traffic plan.