Tesco has sights set on Merstham
TESCO has expressed interest in opening a new store in Merstham, the Mirror can reveal.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council said the retail giant has contacted it about moving into the village.
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Coming soon? A pensioner hopes Tesco revamps the Iron Horse pub in Merstham
The council spokesman said: "We are aware that Tesco has expressed an interest in the Merstham area."
One villager has urged the supermarket chain to look no further than the derelict Iron Horse pub in Bletchingley Road as the ideal site for a new store.
Roger Peerless, 66, of Nutfield Drive said: "It is the perfect site for Tesco.
"It sits right in the centre of the village, and it would be doing us a favour by replacing the absolute eyesore that the pub has become.
"Of course it doesn't help that yobs have started chipping away at the tiling and generally damaging it.
"I really hope Tesco comes in to take it over as I think Merstham could really prosper."
The pub has been abandoned with its windows boarded up for 10 months.
Punch Tavern, joint leaseholder of the pub with the borough council, shut the pub for "security reasons" last November after a raid by police and officers from EDF Energy.
A warrant was issued in connection with the alleged "illegal abstraction of electricity" and a meter was seized.
The council would not be drawn as to whether it had received any official application from Tesco to open up in Merstham, or any bids for the Iron Horse site.
The council spokesman added: "We own the freehold to the Iron Horse pub site and there is a lease arrangement in place with a brewery, which still has 26 years to run.
"We are in discussions with the leaseholder about the state of the premises and its future as we share residents' concerns about its state."
However, a Punch Tavern spokesman added fuel to the fire regarding the future of the Iron Horse by revealing its plans to wash its hands of the ailing site.
She said: "We had previously made efforts to recruit a licensee to take on the pub but unfortunately to no avail.
"While it is always our preference that our pubs continue to trade as pubs we do review our estate regularly to ensure they are maximising their potential.
"We are currently in negotiations to surrender the lease back to the council."
2 Comments
by sandie, Merstham
Wednesday, August 26 2009, 10:31AM
“please please bring tescos to Merstham. It would be wonderful to have this store so close to us. There a lot of young people with very young children who cannot afford to get to tescos at hookwood and who would greatly benefit from this store, also the elderly who might not be able to get that far it would so wonderful. I look forward to seeing tescos in merstham”
by Tim, Merstham
Saturday, August 15 2009, 12:28PM
“If this plan materialises it would be a real bonus for the village and would assist in the regeneration of the area. Doubtless some local shopkeepers will not appreciate it but they will certainly have to sit up and take notice. Merstham needs a market leader that can offer a competitive pricing structure for everyday shopping; furthermore it would save many residents a journey into Redhill in pursuit of that objective? The current premises are an eyesore and a disgrace, so let us hope a meaningful dialogue is occurring between R&B Council and Tesco that will result in a vastly improved shopping experience for village residents. Tesco we would welcome you with open arms!”