PETITIONS FOR CONSIDERATION APPENDIX 1

ITEM DATE PETITION TITLE AND PETITION STATEMENT WARDS TOTAL NUMBER NUMBER RECEIVED AFFECTED OF SIGNATURES 1 (b) 13th August Say no to Tesco! Stop Supermarket Expansion on our City Wide 37 2013 Local High Streets.

We petition City Council to stop further unwanted supermarket expansion on our local high streets (such as the proposed large food store in , and the new Tesco Express stores in and ) which poses a real threat to the many independent traders in our city.

GCC must take action to address this escalating problem, as Tesco and the other major supermarkets (Sainsubury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose etc) continue to open smaller ‘Express’ and ‘Local’ stores on our local high streets, because they do not require such rigorous planning permission as larger stores. The rate at which these smaller stores are opening is alarming (Tesco stores have opened on Byres Road, Road, Sauchiehall Street, Dumbarton Road and at many other sites across the city in the last few years).

GCC must develop and implement new rules in its next City Plan to prevent new supermarkets opening in areas which already have good access to other local food suppliers/grocers, and which have other supermarkets within and certain radius. If GCC does not take decisive action on this issue now, these new supermarkets will spread all over our city, threatening the livelihoods of many in independent traders, which may be forced to close. Once all these alternative food suppliers/grocers are shut – our local high streets devastated as a result – these chain supermarkets will have a monopoly on our food supply and may hike up prices, whilst the people of Glasgow will be left with no choice but to shop there.There is plenty of evidence for this on the national Tescopoly website.

There have been many meetings in the local areas affected by these new planned Tesco stores. There is strong feeling amongst the local communities that not only are these stores unwanted and should be prevented from opening, but that there is an urgent need to crack down on further supermarket expansion on our local high streets.

The Principal Petitioner, since January 2013, has been in communication with GCC’s Planning Department, her local councillors and now this committee in an attempt to oppose the opening of the planned Tesco store closest to her in Kelvinbridge. Public meetings have been co-ordinated to discuss this issue on 16th June, 3rd and 10th July 2013, where the Principal Petitioner has met many local residents and representatives of local businesses concerned with this issue, as well as people campaigning against planned Tesco stores in other local areas (Yorkhill and Hyndand).There is an active Facebook Group which has grown out of these meetings and a Riseup Email Group.

The Principal Petitioner has raised the issue with Woodside Community Council on 1st July and 5th August 2013 and she has stated that it was also concerned about the problem and were supportive of the petition.