A combination of shoppers and intrigued residents packed into Lichfield’s new Tesco Extra store as the doors opened for the first time.
But as the traffic queued to get in and out of the new superstore, many shoppers must have wondered whether the wait would really be worth it.
Despite an apparent abundance of spaces underneath the controversial new store (although most of them were filled throughout the opening day), an unfamiliar parking layout led to a chaotic initial welcome to the city’s newest shopping outlet. But after being lucky enough to find a space fairly close to the store, I then had the unfortunate task of playing human Frogger with the queues of impatient drivers as I went in search of a trolley.
However, I need not have worried as the bottom of the new travellator up to the main store from street level contained a number of trolleys including every parent’s dream shopping vehicle.
Those clever marketeers at Tesco have ensured that shoppers with kids will be unable to go anywhere else thanks to the child-friendly trolleys complete with toddler-mobile (and working horn!) on the front.
My little one became the centre of attention in her new mode of transport, although whether that was down to a toddler hurtling around Tesco on the front of a trolley or my inability to steer the thing I’m not quite sure.
In terms of the actual store it’s hard to judge the content until the initial voyeuristic nature of shopping dies down. However, the selection of goods on offer has certainly improved although for parents pushing buggies and trolleys, some of the aisles seemed a little narrow (especially in the clothing section).
Thankfully there were plenty of checkouts open to take the opening day strain, but it will be interesting to see whether the high level of staffing dies down following the initial rush.
There is no doubting that Lichfield’s new Tesco Extra holds the trump card in the increasing battle of the city’s supermarkets (and the traffic piled up blocking the entry to Aldi may hit that particular rival’s trade more than most), thanks to its range of goods outside the traditional food items – and those child-friendly trolleys – but if the aftermath of the initial rush doesn’t see any easing of the traffic problems on the junction into Tescos many shoppers may feel that the negatives outweigh the benefits.
I feel duty bound to say: “it is just a supermarket, get over it!”
But I also feel the need to add that this is the type of development that has turned Lichfield into a largely soulless, identikit town/city centre.
Quite appropriate that a couple of days after Dr Johnson’s 300th birthday, the heritage and character of his birthplace gets yet another kicking thanks to unsympathetic urban regeneration.
It is possible to have a functional town/city centre that serves the needs of local residents, but also preserves the character and history of the place.
Tesco should have a big pat on the back.
They have provided a large car park free for 3 hours and an alternative shopping experience.
All this within 9 months from start to finish.
NOTE our council have taken years of work just to replace a bit of paving and it is still cr**.
How long will our council take to repair their car parks – one has been partly closed for years?
OH – I forgot to say any money you give to Tesco is in payment for something you want – now can I say that about the council!
Well done Tesco.
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Great to see a modern building in lichfield, Tesco is somewhere we might actually be able to buy something we need instead of going out of town. I have to say i’m suprised this development got past the old duffers that sit the planning application dept having no oak beams and wooden fascia, lets hope that they have finally come out of the 14th century and realise that Lichfield City needs a lot more modern infrastucture and amenities.
Me and my family (consisting of husband, 20 month old & 12 year old daughters) decided to visit the store in the evening on the opening day. What a big mistake is all I can say, it was absolutely packed with shoppers. I was not that impressed to be honest, the Aisles seemed alot narrower than before, which is silly really as its a bigger store. Also the aisles aren’t signed properly, so you don’t even know what items are where. We had to ask where certain things were a number of times, which is just rediculous. Just when we thought the shopping trip couldn’t get any worse we had the worst person on the till ever, she didn’t have a clue about anything. She didn’t know the code for using your own bags to get green points, or putting your clubcard points on either, so had to call a supervisor twice!!! So our time at the till ending up being about 15 minutes….which with a young child is not the best. Then when we got home we realised that she hadn’t put through some of the larger items we had on the belt, ie big box of nappies and a changing mat!!! Unsure how the 2nd trip to the store will go but I think we will try going early in the morning at the weekend to avoid the rush….
A few pensioners i have spoken to are –
Unhappy with the ‘tescolator’ and unhappy with the cafeteria being replaced by an expensive costa coffee.
The traffic ques wouldn’t be occuring had the friars gate development been finished as Birmingham road would have been widened – not really tescos fault.
I’m unsure as to whether i prefer asda at tamworth (which is the stores real competition for shopping of this nature) – both sites are heavily congested.
some of the lines are nice and varied – even salted roasted soya beans are available in the snacks – but there was little choice in grill steaks/frozen goodies.
The choice of laptops was dissapointing – only budget celeron processors- but a pretty good DVD section with some competitive pricing.
My only real gripe with the new Tescos is – as a local working in the City centre- the time to get in and out of there means i can not pop in to grab some lunch (sandwich, pop crisps) – the traffics to bad before ive even qued for the tescolator.
I’m not keen on the new Tesco. I think the escalator to the first floor is a terrible idea; it moves very slowly and it keeps jamming when trollies get to the ground floor. The store feels very clinical and the aisles are close together; I didn’t feel it was a pleasant shopping experience.
After having had a relatively peaceful summer as a resident of George Lane mainly because most of the work took place in the day and not at weekends. The yobs have returned passing through the back of the street where the offices are and destroying anything that happens to be in the car park, I have gone out for my morning run only to be felled by abandoned trollies. The Boy racers have come back to the car park on a Sunday evening and our gardens get bottles thrown into again. Welcome back Tesco !! Still I did get a £10 off voucher when i spend £30 :-). I am from London and I live in the city centre so of course there are always aspects of City life you have to endure for the sake of convenience, but does that walk way to Stowe St really need to be there? and why can a multi-billion pound company not install those magnetic gismos that stop you crossing a certain point with your trolley? and how is an operation such as tesco not able to barrier a car park for the brief sunday night stint it is closed during the week? Just a little bit more thought and colaboration with the local community would have gone a long way.
The walkway to Stowe St. is a right of way for the public – removing them is a big deal and doing so in this case would be taking something away so that Tesco avoid responsibility for an issue of which they are partly to blame.
I say partly because inconsiderate people are that way by choice or just plain ignorance. The same applies to the bottle throwing boy racers you mention.
I would say the situation needs to be solved by a combination of efforts by the council, the police and local residents with the cost for those efforts being at least partly met by Tesco.
Tesco has lost the plot, its easy and cheap food accessibility has gone and has now been replaced with a snobby, hard to find items store with an expensive Costa shop upstairs instead of the “every little helps” cheap and freindly cafe, which is all you want at a superstore, so why have tescos changed what it was supposed to represent and gone all waitrosey?
It’s ridiculous. It’s so big you can’t find anything. Even the staff don’t know where stuff is. It makes the “quick shop” impossible. Ironically though, if you REALLY search out items, you’ll note the new Tesco carries all the same stock as before, just multiplied the quantity to infinity.
I’ve been in once, and will never need to go in again. I’m sorry Tesco, you’ve lost a life-long customer.
It’s my supermarket of choice now over Morrissons
Pros – it has great free, covered and safe parking
Huge Selection
Cons – Crappy Costa Coffee
Slow Esculator
We are lucky that we are able to visit a supermarket and buy what we need. To the large percentage of Lichfield residents who seem to thrive on moaning and complaining I would suggest that if you can’t find your way round the car park or find what your looking for in the store or you are too limited in your conversation to ask, should you be out there on your own. Come on folks for heavens sake stop moaning
Tesco is a sturdy well needed development for Lichfield. Nearly a year on it is still very busy at any time, only in the early hours of the morning do you find the odd few shopping.People need to be less stuck in their ways, the cafe has been replaced yesc but this is because the cafe before failed at really making any sort of profit. Its in place now is a sleek, modern Costa Coffee. With what I believe to be reasonable prices and a great staffing team.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? There are many members of staff in every aisle welcome to answer any questions you have! Personally I feel the store is laid out perfectly to nake the most amount of profit from the everyday consumer, abd it takes me a matter of minutes to find all that I need.
Tesco, clinical looking as it might be, its onky a superstore, you don’t have to live there.