TESCO has told iomtoday that it is ‘reviewing its options’ for the snag-hit Express store it had planned to open in Castletown.
The store had been due to open its doors this month but after a series of problems, including the failure to secure an alcohol licence, this has not happened. At one stage it was suggested it would be open in January.
Asked by iomtoday for an update on the situation, a Tesco spokesman said: ‘We are currently reviewing our options and we plan to meet with key stakeholders shortly to discuss a way forward.’
Chairman of Castletown Commissioners Kevin Weir, however, said members of the board were in the dark.
‘We are waiting for an update from them (Tesco), we’ve not heard a thing,’ he said. ‘We have got nothing official, just the rumour mill of Castletown.’
Rumours circulating include that Tesco will be returning to court soon with a new application for an alcohol licence.
Tesco confirmed it would open a store in Castletown in November last year, after striking a deal to open a Tesco Express store in Callow’s Yard. The announcement said the move would create 20 jobs. It came after a failed attempt to get its Douglas store enlarged.
But Castletown Commissioners were concerned at the plans, citing worries about the impact on extablished businesses in the town and on parking, plus about deliveries to restock the store in an area already congested and possible resulting disruption for residents living nearby.
No planning permission is needed for the development because Callow’s Yard is already zoned for retail use.
It’s been a bumpy ride for Tesco, with local opposition and an embarrassing incident in which a delivery van, running a test to see if access was adequate, became stuck.
And in April, just days after the retail giant confirmed the store would open for business in July, the alcohol application failed when the court said it was not satisfied there was a need for further licensed premises in Castletown centre.
At the hearing, police said there were already sufficient licensed premises in the town and a new store selling alcohol would act as a potential magnet for people to loiter, possibly leading to antisocial behaviour. It would also create parking issues in the Malew and Bank Street area.
As this story went live, Tesco had not yet lodged a renewed alcohol licence application with the court.