IT IS sad to read letters about Andover that seek a return to having department stores in the town centre.
Perhaps a dose of realism and a sense of proportion might help.
The world has moved on, and “size as measured by maximum volume of sales at the least cost” is what motivates “national” businesses.
Imagine being the owner of, say, Debenhams. Why would you build a store here when you have stores in Salisbury, Winchester, Southampton, Basingstoke and Newbury – at most 25 miles from Andover? Each in large retail centres with a significantly larger, more prosperous footfall than Andover; surrounded by a greater variety of chain shops of whichever type one has to be satisfied with in the modern era.
In other words, regional retail centres that gain the most from the socio-economic demographic of the locality.
Yes, Andover is growing in population, but at nowhere near a rate to justify the type of expenditure a large store would need; even if they could break the stranglehold of freeholders who have to satisfy remote shareholders with no concern for Andover.
Andover has an enormous variety of shops to satisfy basic living needs – how many towns of similar size could you name that have reasonably sized Asda, Boots, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Poundland, Sainsbury, Tesco, and Waitrose stores in or close to their town centre?
Not to mention several firstclass independent shops.
So for some other needs we have to travel – is that really so tiresome that we have to constantly indulge in wishful thinking?
Barrie Wickens, via email
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