Script

             Focus/ Tesco Documentary: South West Investigates

(Presenters stood in front of current Focus Store)

In tonight’s programme, AN APPLICATION is to be submitted this spring for retail giant Tesco to create a supermarket at the former Focus DIY site in Tavistock.

The Tesco planning application will seek permission to widen the range of goods that can be sold from the site within the existing building, and to allow for the removal of the former garden centre area to provide additional car parking.

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Hello, I am Tegan Cunningham and you’re watching the South West Investigates.

AN APPLICATION is to be submitted this spring for retail giant Tesco to create a supermarket at the former Focus DIY site in Tavistock.

Marchfield Properties, who owns the site at Tavistock Retail Park on Plymouth Road, is preparing to hold a public exhibition in advance of a formal planning application for a medium-sized food store of 17,000 sq. ft.
If approved, the proposals would bring the unit, which has been vacant for more than 18 months, back into use and could create up to 100 jobs.

Unfortunately the people behind these plans are un able to speak to us today but what they have said is this “The store would sell some household items but not large white goods or clothing because it does not want to compete with town retailers”,’. It will be primarily designed to give people an extra choice for their food shopping.

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So the company does not supposedly want to compete with town retailers, but is this really the truth? We talked to some town retailers to see if they thought this was really the case.

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(Interview with town retailers)

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The workforce planned for the new Tesco store will be made up of 25% full-time staff and 75% part-time staff, a ratio which meets the demand of the majority of people who applied to work at Tesco in a recent survey held amongst the locals.
Jonathan James, of Marchfield Properties, said: ‘Everyone who we have spoken to wants to see this prominent site brought back into economic use.

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Tesco has demonstrated its commitment to make this happen and is prepared to make a considerable investment in Tavistock and in doing so fulfil the need for greater choice for shoppers as well as providing much needed employment opportunities for job seekers in the town.

However, the real question behind this all, do we really need a wider selection of goods? Is Morrison’s here opposite enough?

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We would like to hear your views

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(Contact info voice over)

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Filmed in the location: Classroom/Office

I am now here with Melanie Chiswell who is corporate affairs manager for Tesco, Melanie what do you make of this application made?

(Actor Reply)

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Filmed presenter infront of focus store

So we thought we would carry our own research on local residence to the Tavistock area. This is what we found……

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(Interview with local residence)

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So this is what the locals think, with Tesco submitting this application for this spring is looking as if it’s about to be given the go ahead and we are not necessarily going to see the true matter of opinion until it is in full swing. But is this then going to be too late and really shut down Tavistocks high street for good?

Join us next time on the south west investigates. Goodbye

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