IN last week's Review, E. Tattersall hails the potential arrival of Tesco in Cinderford as though it was something to look forward to, regardless of where they intend putting it.
In Lydney, no one gave the matter any thought. They foolishly demolished the Feathers Hotel although it was a famous Lydney landmark and built a Tesco in its place. The result: traffic chaos at the junction with the main road and a main road almost always at a standstill while the Lydney bypass has no traffic on it. They should have built Tesco next door to Federal Mogul on the bypass, leaving the rest of Lydney to get on with its own business.
In Cinderford, they intend shoving it up a side street, slap bang next to the Cop-op, on ground at present occupied by Cinderford Rugby Club. A far better venue for Tesco would be beyond Lidl, somewhere in Steam Mills, as near to the A4151 junction with the A4136 as possible thereby making it more convenient for customers from elsewhere to visit Tesco without having to enter Cinderford.
In Lydney, Tesco started off OK but gradually got worse as time wore on, and no doubt the same would happen in Cinderford. In Lydney they had a cafe, that is now gone. They do not always have what you are looking for because they allow shelves to run out completely before remembering to re-stock them. It is impossible to purchase two sausage rolls, you have to buy eight. This fault is not confined to sausage rolls, many packets are sold containing too many items.
In Cinderford, Tesco are threatening to cause an environmental disaster by moving Cinderford Rugby Club onto ground opposite the Mount Pleasant in St Whites Road. It will be situated on the horizon from where it will be seen from miles around. Tourists surveying the scenery from afar and admiring our green and pleasant land would drop their binoculars in shock when they saw such a sacreligeous eyesore. The necessity to keep the rugby club where it is, out of sight, is another reason why Tesco should not be moving there.
What Cinderford needs is regeneration and that will not be accomplished without spending money in astronomical quantities. Businesses depend on good communications, but the A4151 main road through Cinderford is not up to the necessary standard and is not fit to be called an A road. Kenley House should not have been built where it is, but a few yards further back.
All the buildings on that side of the road need to be demolished and re-built several yards further back. The main road should be doubled in width; at present it isn't even wide enough for two double decker buses to pass without at least one of them having to mount the pavement. What does that say about a modern town in the 21st century? What idiot decided to put a chicane down near the petrol station and then let cars park immediately beyond it? What does that do to keep traffic flowing smoothly? It is a positive traffic stopper when there is plenty of traffic about, and that on a road already too narrow. It is also an accident waiting to happen when there is little traffic about because it increases speed, as two teenagers in opposite directions race each other to get to the wretched thing first. Yes, let Tesco come to Cinderford provided they pay for all these things – and provided they move into Steam Mills. – Anthony Reeve, Littledean.