Council create supermarket farce

Since the start of this travesty several ‘excuses’ have been put forward to obstruct the process so that no worthwhile conclusion is ever reached.

For example, a number of revised building designs were rejected as out of sympathy with the character of the town, even though the same could be said about the design of the present supermarket and that is one of the first buildings visible from the railway station.

It is a concern that so much attention has been paid to the design of the building, whereas the important issue of improving the road system, in that busy part of the town, ready for a supermarket, has been neglected.

Despite the road and rail inconveniences the Fire Brigade, for years based in the area, has usually managed well. Another factor is the appalling decision made to sell part of the land off to Sainsbury’s knowing that an agreement had already been made with Tesco’s. This provocative action has succeeded in creating an impasse and added unwelcome complications to the matter.

The only way out of this situation is for the council to return the £3m which Sainsbury’s paid to them for their piece of land and then proceed with the former Tesco’s proposal.

Unfortunately it does seem that members of the council are both reluctant and short-sighted in their approach to establishing an additional supermarket in Rye and it may be because they are content to shop out of town. However if this is the case then they are no longer reflecting the interests of the wider community and the call for a supermarket is not over yet.

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