Supermarket saga - Asda is interested

ASDA representatives made another visit to the town last week and it has been one of the worst-kept secrets that the Leeds-based chain has expressed an interest in the former Somerfield store, which closed 17 months ago, leaving Littlehampton with just one town centre supermarket.

An ASDA spokeswoman told the Gazette this week: "We have done the research and like the town. We think it would be great to have something there, and there surely would be capacity for another foodstore in the town centre. That's as far as we have got at this stage.

"As far as the former Somerfield supermarket is concerned, it's a question of whether it would be suitable for an ASDA. It might not be the size we are looking for."

Miriam Nicholls, business development officer for Arun District Council, said she was aware of ASDA's interest in the High Street premises, but also in other potential sites in the town which had been identified for retail use in the Littlehampton Vision blueprint for the town's future.

"They will still be interested in Littlehampton if they don't get the Somerfield site. In those circumstances, we could end up with three food supermarkets in Littlehampton, which would be absolutely wonderful for the town."

Mrs Nicholls said the ASDA representatives liked what they saw of Littlehampton, and particularly the East Bank area, and were impressed by the Vision document and its proposals for how the town could be developed.

The Travis Perkins site at Pier Road, and the St Martin's car park are the two areas suggested in the Vision where new retail developments could take place.

Added Mrs Nicholls: "With consultants, we are now marketing the town more aggressively and, with the Vision document, we can say to people: 'This is how the town might look in five years' time. Get in early and be part of it.' "

Town centre traders, especially those at the western end of High Street and in Surrey Street, will be hoping the former Somerfield store is occupied in the near future. Many of them saw business hit badly after the supermarket closed.

The Competition Commission ordered Somerfield to sell the premises to a rival chain, so that competition would be reintroduced in the town centre, where the only remaining food supermarket is another Somerfield, in Avon Road.

The process was held up by an inquiry and an appeal by Somerfield, but six months after the final verdict, there is still only one town centre supermarket.

A spokesman for Somerfield said the company was currently in discussion with an interested party and was progressing a potential deal with them, but could say nothing more at this stage.