[Part of my complete update ... reposted here for comment]

6. Asda have announced that they plan to open a new store in Melksham, at West Country Farmers (that shop will remain, though).  This offers a good opportunity to work with the store to provide rail access and facilities for the mutual benefit of their customers and railway users, and I understand that the company has a good reputation for being a community player.

I'm frankly disappointed - VERY disappointed - in the Asda team that I've met with at three events they've held in Melksham now.  It appears to me that a golden opportunity to help develop and expand for the future, with Asda/Walmart at the heart of it, is being squandered by an unwillingness to work with the local community.   The "consultations" thay have been doing have been nothing of the sort - they've been TELLING us how they propose to do the minimum for the town but take the most they can out of it.  They've been talking and not listening, and there's so much more to be gained by listening to local knowledge.

My further comments:

http://www.wellho.net/mouth/1360_Asda-in-Melksham-Welcome-or-not-.html

I see something of a parallel.  The company that bid for (and won) the franchise to run our train service in this area payed scant regard to the huge pool of local knowlegde around ... and look how much trouble they've got themselves into - how unpopular they have become, and all the extreme work necessary to build back up.  And it could have been so much easier

Some very interesting discussions concerning Asda on Tuesday night at the Chamber of Commerce meeting in Melksham.   Don't expect the store / plans to be greeted with open arms.


If Asda were proposing something constructive with regard to the transport situation, seeing as they're looking to build at Ruth Kelly's bottleneck, they could gain some friends.  For example looking at helping with the sorting out of a public transport interchange in the area, with some section 106 proposal for the station.  However, they seem intent on doing traffic surveys ONLY on carefully selected (and a-typical quiet days) as is the minimum requirement.

I was also asked the other day why - when their representatives are down in West Wiltshire to meet people and promote the case for the store - they stay in North Wiltshire at hotels there, and eat at restaurants there.   I couldn't answer the queston, but it hardly seems in keeping with their stated aim of helping to bring business and prosperity to the town.

Asda's Chippenham proposals are set to go before a government inspector in 2008 (link below.)
http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/display.var.1909154.0.asda_appeals_after_plan_refusal.php

I'm sorry, but I love the fact that the name of ASDA's Property Communications Manager is Allison Darling......

The president of Melksham's Chamber of Commerce has hit back at Asda's suggestion that it overwhelmingly supports the supermarket's plans to build a new store on land off the A350 (link below.)
http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/display.var.1910575.0.chamber_hits_out_over_asda_plan.php

John Escott said the chamber still has serious concerns over the planning application and has made them known to Asda.

But, despite this, Asda issued a press release last week saying they had the full backing of the chamber.

The Chamber of Commerce held a consultation meeting with local businesses about the plans on September 17.

Colin Harrison, chairman of the chamber, has written to Asda again outlining the concerns that came out of the consultation meeting including: probable congestion resulting from the access from the A350; better pedestrian access to encourage people to walk to the store; and the lack of provision of transport links such as a bus service between the store, town, railway station and surrounding area.

The planning application is with West Wiltshire District Council - submitted on 17th December and given reference number 07/03866/FUL if you want to go along and look at it.   The are closed from 5 P.M. today until Thursday of next week (27th).

Consultation are required to be in - as I read it - by 18th January ... in other words, I think the normal consultation clocks keep ticking over the Christmas and new year period, meaning that anyone who wants to make inputs has to be a little sharper than normal.

A Wiltshire County Councillor has called onn Asda to pay for safety improvments on the road where a 17 year old driver was killed last week:

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/display.var.2030144.0.councillor_in_road_safety_call.php

Lidl wants to come to Melksham as well...I'd be amazed if there's enough demand for SIX supermarkets in a town of 22,000 people...