Big plans for store

From the archive, first published Friday 10th Feb 2006.

Supermarket giant Tesco is planning to replace its Buttershaw store with a new one double the size.

The move comes after the company recently began work on a new supermarket at Great Horton.

And another store could be in the pipeline three miles away in Queensbury.

If all three are built Tesco would dominate the area with floorspace of nearly 20,000 sq metres.

Max Curtis, of Tesco, said the Buttershaw store was now "tired" and customers were calling for it to be updated.

He confirmed the plans just been submitted are for a 7,801 square metre store. It would be built on stilts with a car park underneath and would include a replacement petrol station.

"Our customers want it," said Mr Curtis. "Anyone who visits the store can see it needs updating. Local people want a brand new Tesco as good as other modern stores in the area."

He said although it would not be a Tesco Extra it would sell a certain amount of non-food goods.

A store of that size would take about nine months to build, he said, and temporary provisions would be made for customers to continue to shop there while the work was underway.

Bradford South MP and trade minister Gerry Sutcliffe welcomed the move.

He said: "There is strong competition in Bradford among supermarkets with Morrisons, Tesco, the Co-op and Sainsburys.

"I welcome the investment in Buttershaw and the employment opportunities this will create.

"As far as the other stores go, the Tesco at Great Horton I am happy with as some of the shops there need a breath of fresh air.

"In Queensbury I gather there could be some access issues but overall I am not concerned that the three stores will lead to Tesco dominating the area as there is quite robust competition."

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