THERE is something seriously wrong with how this country’s councils dictate policies, while lacking any entrepreneurial experience whatsoever, effectively make our shopping experience so limited.

HDC not only appears to want to close all small businesses, to be replaced by a swathe of non productive charity shops, it is unable to stop the financial clout of Tesco opening their stores where they like.

Will the proposed Lidl site in Stukeley Road have a bigger effect on the High Street than Tesco’s Sapley store? Is a small business (such as the Parsley Pot) expected to pay further taxes to satisfy the HDC jobsworths visions of retailing?

Why is Huntingdon BID required, when surely the council should have the expertise to make better use of our personal and business rates? Is the town centre so disorganised or dangerous that Rangers are needed?

Does the HDC business management team have any qualifications or experience in running a business? No doubt, because they have connections with the business community, they believe they are entrepreneurial.

HDC expect Lidl to wait a further two years in case the Waitrose site becomes available? Does HDC believe that this is a business-like commitment?

Lidl is a very good store and only makes the whole shopping experience more competitive and enjoyable. No doubt, the “big names” are somewhat worried that their excess profit margins might be hit by the German store’s lower profit mark-up.

Does HDC really believe that so many charity shops will bring shoppers to the town centre?

Finally, I believe HDC’s reason for placing a two-year embargo on Lidl is nothing more than shameful in its own transparency in wanting to keep Tesco happy. Perhaps ‘every little bit helps’ the hard pressed public which is so unimportant to HDC.

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