We’ve been writing about Tesco coming to Ventnor since late 2005 and with no sign of the development being completed yet, it’s not surprising that residents are getting hacked off with the behemoth supermarket chain.
First it was on, then it was off, then it was back on but nothing happened for ages.
During all this, the building they’d bought and received permission to demolish – former Island Furnishings opposite the Central car park – was falling further into disrepair and had become the subject of persistent vandalism.
At last a date!
Finally work seemed to start in 2011 with Ventnorians told to expect a new Express store to be opened by Christmas 2012.
Anyone who has been past the site recently will have seen that the former building has finally been demolished, but there doesn’t appear to have been any work done for some time, so we got in touch with Tesco to find out whether there was a problem.
Update: We’re informed by a local trade supplier that work has been continuing on the site, so our apologies for suggesting otherwise. Every time we’ve passed the site in the last few weeks, we’ve not seen any workmen on site.
Hopeful to be open by Spring 2013
A spokesperson from Tesco told On The Wight, “We are excited about reconstruction of our new building and are hopeful to be open by Spring 2013.”
Let’s just hope that we have a mild winter, or perhaps the building work might end up being ‘delayed’ a lot longer.
Image: Nick Saltmarsh under CC BY 2.0
