Tesco and WH Smith coming to town

WH Smith arrives next month in Broad Street and Tesco Express is set to open later this year at the old Caffyns garage site in Sutton Park Road. Chamber of Commerce president Stefano Diella said it was now time for smaller, local traders to 'wake up and smell the coffee'.

He believed Seaford should be moving forward and said big names like Tesco and WH Smith could help make it happen in a positive way.

Restaurateur Mr Diella said: 'Sometimes you go to a shop in Seaford to find it is not open at 9 or 10am and some are still observing the Wednesday shutting up shop rule. Everyone needs to wake up and smell the coffee and up their game.

'If I had a chain restaurant like Pizza Express opening in the town, I would have to pull my socks up. With Tesco Express opening at the Caffyns site, the whole look of the town will be sharper and they would be very welcome, like WH Smith.'

Mr Diella said he appreciated some people would not be happy about Tesco opening. But he felt it was positive and as the Caffyns site was so big and prominent it would be hard for an independent trader to make a go of it.

He added: 'For a little while it will create a stir, but you have to break some eggs to make an omelette. But companies like Boots, Clinton Cards, Woolworths coming and staying, and new companies arriving is a positive thing for the town. It means Seaford is on the up.'

Mr Diella said the chamber had to welcome all businesses and could not be selective.

'Some people have said the newsagents and the grocery businesses will suffer but we are all going to have to adapt. If more Italian restaurants came to the town, people would probably love it. I would see it as a challenge and think about working longer hours.

'In Seaford we still have a little bit of a sleepy town culture and feel we don't have to be as sharp and proactive as other towns, but we do.'

A spokesman for Tesco confirmed the Express store would be opening, most likely in October or November, but there was no fixed date.