est Swindon's Meigeizine
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Est. 1978 NEW BID FOR FRUIT &VEG. SHOP AT W. SWINDON CENTRE A Swindon greengrocer is making his fourth attempt in five years to set up a fruit and veg. shop at the West Swindon Centre. But success is not on the cards. Earlier this year a bid by the same trader to lease a unit in The Mall was blocked by the giant Dee Corporation which owns the Centre. A negative reply was only received after over four months of waiting and dozens of attempts to contact the corporation, which is Europe's second largest food retailer. The reason given in July for not allowing a fruit and veg. outlet was that it "Would not be in the best interests of the Centre or the people who use it to have another food outlet. A public relations spokesperson said then "It's not a case of restricting competition. We are concerned to keep a balance at the Centre and provide as wide a range of traders as possible." The trader, who does not want to be named because of negotiations that may take place, has now applied to lease one of the outside units in Town Square. This was over two months ago and a reply is still awaited. Agents acting for the applicant have however been told that the landlord would not consider a fruit and veg. outlet. Mr. Richard Lewis at Dee Corporation headquarters in Milton Keynes admitted that he did not know about the application but said, "If the Board turned it down before, it was likely to do so again." The trader claims that if he were permitted to set up a fruit and veg. outlet, West Swindon customers would benefit by prices up to 25% cheaper than the closest competition.
Circulation 10,000
No.69 December 1987
BIGGEST & BEST YET
Two spectacular West Swindon events in November commemorated Guy Fawkes failure to blow up the Houses of Parliament in the seventeenth century.
Kevin Brownridge and Ian Crawford write on page 5 about the explosions and huge bon fire at Toothill Farm. Over at the West Swindon Centre the annual aerial fireworks display was even more amazing than previous years. The crowds were also greater than ever before with traffic snarl-ups on Tewkesbury Way and cars parked on every roadside leading to the Centre. West Swindon District Centre Manager Lionel Dix is aware of the temporary problems caused by the growing popularity of the
show held above the lakes. "Once again everybody I have spoken to said it was a brilliant display, but the traffic was horrendous. Our car parks were full, so were the Link Centre's, that's around 2,000 vehicles and goodness knows how many were parked on the verges all around the District Centre site. I suppose, with all those who walked, you could make a guess and say between 6,000 and 8,000 people watched the fireworks, maybe more. But next year we will have to sort out the traffic problem."
behalf of owners, the Dee Corporation. "The money for the fireworks comes from different sources," said Mr. Dix. "The tenants of the shop units in the centre make a contribution and Donaldsons put in money raised from various promotions during the year. Also, not many people know that the profits from the sit-on rides we have in The Mall go directly into fireworks. I know a few complained when the prices were doubled some months ago. The prices have not been raised for many years, but I hope users will see SIT-ON RIDES The twenty minute firework that some of their money is put display cost over £2,500 and back into their own entertainwas organised by Donaldson's, ment." the managing agents for the West Swindon District Centre on