Asda will discover that Soham town centre store is inadequate and will look to relocate

Published: 12:35 PM February 24, 2014 Updated: 6:18 PM December 14, 2020

It was interesting to read the Voice of the Fens commenting on Asda’s decision to purchase the Budgens store in the centre of Soham (January 23).

I think the writer may have misread the signs.

Clearly Asda intends to take over the business but will discover before long, assuming it has not already researched this, that with the ever-increasing population of Soham the site is inadequate and it will therefore look to relocate to the out of town site along The Shade, which the planners have already approved.

Asda will see this as a far more credible alternative and the town centre site can be sold on for a more appropriate development, such as much-needed housing for example.

The contention that retention of a town centre convenience store is the key to the survival of Soham’s town centre is fanciful, there is no evidence to suggest that this has been true over the past 10 years or so since Budgens took up residence.

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There is a contradiction in the writer’s comments that both Ely and Newmarket are well provided for (in terms of supermarkets).

This suggests that Soham with a population of 11,000 does not need such a facility and residents will therefore continue with the expense of doing their main grocery shopping out of town.