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Llangollen threatens to switch councils if supermarket plan is approved

Published date: 31 March 2010 |
Published by: Staff reporter

 

AN ASTONISHING scheme to transfer Llangollen from Denbighshire to Wrexham Borough is being hatched as fury over supermarket plans for the town escalate.

And Llangollen Chamber of Trade and Tourism has already spent £5,000 getting ready to move councils.

Chairwoman of the chamber Stephanie Booth said the audacious move between councils has never been done before and there were no legal obstacles in the way to do it.

If the planning application by Vivod Holdings to build a superstore on Cilmedw Farm are passed Mrs Booth said the chamber is ready to ask the electoral society to change the town’s council and so Wrexham can revoke the supermarket plans.

“I have checked with Wrexham County Borough Council and they would welcome Llangollen and are 100 per cent against the supermarket,” said Mrs Booth.

"We can organise a referendum very very quickly.

“We have everything ready to go and have all the forms organised, it could be done in about a month.

“We have spent £5,000 on various environmental surveys and have asked groups like Friends of the Earth to write to Denbighshire County Council to object.”

“Wrexham is more committed to our vision as to what the town should be,” she added.

"Denbighshire County Council is a coastal organisation... all the money is spent on Rhyl and Prestatyn.

“We are really the only tourism attraction at the other end and we get ignored.

“Wrexham think Llangollen would be the jewel in the crown.”

Mrs Booth said plans about moving councils had been ‘brewing for a long time’.

“There was a referendum years ago but a small majority voted to stay with Denbighshire," she added.

"I think the people who wanted to stay with the county council now feel they’ve made a mistake.

"You go and have a look at Ruthin and the affect of a supermarket there."

Mrs Booth said it felt like World War III was breaking out and she wasn’t used to losing.

Clwyd South MP Martyn Jones is also backing the chamber’s plans.

A spokeswoman for Denbighshire County Council said: “As with any planning application, a statutory process needs to be followed. The consultation period remains open, and all residents and businesses can submit representations on planning related grounds at the moment.

“The application will be considered in due course.”

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  1. Posted by: mfm103.4 at 09:55 on 31 March 2010 Report

    Llangollen Chamber of Trade and Tourism - GET A GRIP , you DONT represent the residents of Llangollen, all you care about is lining your own pockets. A new supermarket in Llangollen would be great, somerfield and spar are so expensive for residents who cant travel! I for one know of many family and friends in Llangollen who support a supermamarket, so I think you might find your in for a shock when you have little support from the residents!

  2. Posted by: yachydda at 10:49 on 31 March 2010 Report

    Of course Llangollen would be the jewel in the crown for Wrexham.... but it would soon start to lose value if this were to happen, Llan would see council coffers swell but would get nothing in return, The CoT have not thought this out properly.

  3. Posted by: Y Ddraig Goch at 15:19 on 31 March 2010 Report

    Stephanie Booth, Chairperson of the Chamber is opposed to the idea of the Supermarket purely because they want to build it next to her Hotel "The Wild Pheasant". Its sad that such a big political descision is being based on the fact that the so called 'Llangollen Chamber of Commerce' dont like the idea of a Supermarket in Llagollen. Its a case of spitting out the dummy Im afraid. I was resident in Llangollen for 18 years and I know many people who are supporting the supermarket.

  4. Posted by: scattycat at 16:03 on 31 March 2010 Report

    As a Wrexham resident I would like to say that I am amazed at the arrpgance of Mrs Booth. Llangollen didn't want to know us a few years ago and now suddenly , when it suits, want to be part of Wrexham - as for being 'the jewel in the crown' who do they think they are kidding? Wrexham managed without them for years and certainly don't need them now,. especially as we aim to have city status. I think it is us, Wrexham residents who should have a referendum this time round!

  5. Posted by: tommy at 16:45 on 31 March 2010 Report

    there are some great ironies here...Booth states...."I have checked with Wrexham County Borough Council and they would welcome Llangollen and are 100 per cent against the supermarket,” ...this is a blatant lie...nobody in Wrexham council could make this commitment at this stage in the game...cont

  6. Posted by: tommy at 16:51 on 31 March 2010 Report

    ..but the real irony of this is that wrexham council are obviously firmly in the pockets of tesco...just take a look at the Cefn tesco application if you want observe the extent of collusion between wrexham council and Tesco...Booth is obviously unaware of this or she and her followers would not be proposing a shift to wrexham council...

  7. Posted by: a cahill at 17:32 on 31 March 2010 Report

    Well said Tommy..... my first thought when I read the article was.... woderful news.... lots more room for Tesco...Asda...Morrisons.... housing and the destruction of the green belt.... Which WCBC are renowned for

  8. Posted by: mfm103.4 at 17:39 on 31 March 2010 Report

    exactly Y Ddraig Goch , toys been thrown out of pram! they couldnt give a damn what effects the residents of llangollen, its pure selfishness, just how a spolit child would behave if they couldnt get their own way! so would this mean the county boundry will be moved to accomodate Mrs Booth? how will this effect council tax of the residents in the area ? im actually starting to think this might be some kind of JOKE!

  9. Posted by: mfm103.4 at 17:43 on 31 March 2010 Report

    exactly Y Ddraig Goch , toys been thrown out of pram! they couldnt give a damn what effects the residents of llangollen, its pure selfishness, just how a spolit child would behave if they couldnt get their own way! so would this mean the county boundry will be moved to accomodate Mrs Booth? how will this effect council tax of the residents in the area ? im actually starting to think this might be some kind of JOKE!

  10. Posted by: scattycat at 18:08 on 31 March 2010 Report

    A joke, well that's a thought - could we be reading an early April fool joke!! mmmm.......

  11. Posted by: robertwilliams at 21:06 on 31 March 2010 Report

    "Mrs Booth said it felt like World War III was breaking out and she wasn’t used to losing".That's a childish sentiment to begin with.For me it seems that one self interest group,the chamber of trade,has come up against another self interest group,Tesco.I think it should be put to a referendum,I also think that we should approach the cheaper supermarkets into our town like Lidl,because Tesco is by far the most expensive supermarket and wont benefit the ordinary folk of Llan

  12. Posted by: djones123 at 12:47 on 01 April 2010 Report

    This supermarket proposal would reduce choice as many local shops would be forced to close. Ruthin has already lost many local shops and it’s Somerfield since the arrival of the supermarket. There will be a NET LOSS of jobs in Llangollen, as both the the town’s tourist and retail industry will be under pressure.

  13. Posted by: djones123 at 12:53 on 01 April 2010 Report

    Also, this proposal will affect investment in the town. Already Stans have said that they are unlikely to open a petrol station in the town if the supermarket goes ahead.

  14. Posted by: djones123 at 13:03 on 01 April 2010 Report

    Also, this supermarket won't be any use to anyone without a car, it's too far out of town to be walking with shopping. So for people without a car they'll have to go to wrexham on the bus. In the mean time, the traffic in Llan will get worse because the people with cars will drive to the supermarket.

  15. Posted by: tesco.com at 12:50 on 03 April 2010 Report

    in reply to mfm anyone without a car would have to have jolly large muscles to carry all the groceries home from the proposed site, i mean to say, what if you lived on pengwern estate .. its about a 2 and a half mile hike,,, and steph dont get so uptight , just think of all the bladderheads who might want to call in for a pint to the wild peasant whils shopping. on the contrary i think to put llan in wrexam would lower its tone... bit scummy

  16. Posted by: a cahill at 22:34 on 04 April 2010 Report

    Tesco.com.... dead right we dont want anything that would lower the tone of Wrexham not especially as we will soon be competeing to become a City.... anyway as things go we could all be in the fag end of Liverpool

  17. Posted by: bornacorn at 08:54 on 06 April 2010 Report

    Let them have their referendum. See if it even passes, I don't think it ever will.

  18. Posted by: nighthawk at 22:50 on 06 April 2010 Report

    STANS-The plans do not include a petrol station? DISTANCE-The plans include a bus drop off/pick up? FACEBOOK-Over half the members against DON'T live in Llan-- Bristol,Manchester,Etc? 90% of the shops in town are owned by people who DON'T live in Llan? Well known fact that the shops in town are over-priced because of no competition? It's a pity someone doesnot start a facebook page in favour of the Development?

  19. Posted by: Standupandbecounted at 20:34 on 08 April 2010 Report

    Mrs Booth, all you are interested in is whats best for YOUR business, NOT whats best for the local people of Llangollen or for the traders, only they can't see it. Did you think of the local Pubs and Sandwich bars and Cafe's when you started your £5 meal deals or the hairdressers when you opened your Spa? No, I didn't think so.

  20. Posted by: Llangollen1 at 06:23 on 09 April 2010 Report

    The real issue here is local jobs. If the supermarket goes ahead then the employees of many local businesses will suffer. The tourist industry, conveience stores and their multiple local suppliers will all lose jobs.

  21. Posted by: notobooth at 22:20 on 06 March 2011 Report

    Its quite simple no one can trust a word Booth says! so Trust Booth at your peril. The only interest Booth has is Booth. Anything else is simply there to used, milked and dumped and trampled on once it's use has past.

 

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