Tesco has found itself locked in battle with a group of Suffolk allotment-holders after unveiling a new scheme to encourage people to take up their hoes and grow their own vegetables.
The retailer has applied for planning permission for 30 allotments next to one of its Dobbies Garden Centres in Lancashire. In a move reminiscent of The Good Life, it is also selling chickens, coops and feed to encourage customers to produce their own eggs, the Daily Telegraph reports.
“While it's probably a step too far to think that consumers will be following the example of [TV characters] Tom and Barbara Good and turn their back gardens into farms, keeping chickens seems to be striking a chord with some of our customers, said Dobbies director Susan MacDonald.
But a group of Suffolk allotment-holders branded Tesco “hypocrites”, as planning permission for a new store threatens the future of their 50-year-old allotment site.
"It is complete hypocrisy for Tesco to pretend to be concerned about the need for allotments in Southport,” said allotment holder Brian Dicks.
"Here in Suffolk we face an almighty battle against Tesco to preserve the precious allotments that we have already got. They want to get the council to sell them the Bridge Allotments land so they can build an eyesore superstore next to a beauty spot.
“It shows that Tesco have no real interest in what ordinary people want or need. All they are interested in is profits and putting small shops out of business."
Tesco defended the plans, which it said would create jobs in the local area. It said in a statement: "[Our] proposals for a new store in Hadleigh would involve relocating only a small number of allotments a very short distance and there will be no change to the size of the allotments. This would be done in full consultation with and under the guidance of the local council and relevant horticultural specialists.
"This site is already allocated for a food store by the council and would create around 200 new jobs for local people."
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