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Candidate John Erskine and Councillor Roger Saxon Tackle Tesco On Thurso Mart Site

22nd April 2015

Photograph of Candidate John Erskine and Councillor Roger Saxon Tackle Tesco On Thurso Mart Site

Scottish Labour's candidate for the General Election John Erskine and Scottish Labour Councillor for Thurso Roger Saxon has written to Tesco calling for a public update on the sale of the Mart Site in Thurso.

In their letter to Tesco, Mr Erskine and Councillor Saxon call for Tesco to be more transparent about what is going on with the site. This comes after six months of silence from Tesco following the announcement they were planning to sale the site. Mr Erskine and Councillor Saxon also make the point that if there is no sale in sight, Tesco owe to local people to improve the site so that it is no longer an eyesore.
John Erskine said:

"For over six years, Tesco have dragged their feet over the mart site. The company have repeatedly made public statements, only to then go quiet until there is more bad news. Local people deserve better than that."

“Councillor Saxon and I have joined forces to hold Tesco to account. They must be more open about what is actually happening with the site. Six months ago they told us the site is up for sale and we have heard nothing since. If they are not close to selling, they owe it to the people of Thurso to improve the site so that it is no longer an eye sore. They should hold a public consultation and work with the community council to ensure that the improvements to the site meet local desires.”

Councillor Saxon said: "In Fort William and Aviemore, where they are also failing to build, they have said they will work with local people to improve the sites. I want them to do the same with our site. I believe that they should hold a full and transparent public consultation about what to do with the site. John and I want them to remove the construction fence and replace it with whatever they had planned for the store perimeter. I also want a footpath linking Ormlie Rd with Juniper Bank so that the public don’t cut through the school land and better bus park to segregate pupils from traffic We also want them to install plantings to soften the rubble landscape at the lower end of the site, and work with Abellio to create a better car park at the station and improve its amenity. This would be a way to make up for the ill-feeling that local people have towards the company.”