Supermarket considered as family-run store objects

Plans for a supermarket in Rye are to go before councillors, following opposition from a rival company.

On Tuesday Rother District Council's planning committee will consider plans by Aldi for a new store at the Jempson's Trading Estate site in Winchelsea Road.

Jempson's, which operates the East Sussex town's only existing large supermarket, has opposed the plans saying its store could either close or see turnover reduced.

Council officers have recommended the proposals are approved, as long as Aldi signs a legal contract — known as a Section 106 agreement — with the council which said it should secure £15,000 for enhanced pedestrian links, £49,950 for buses, and £30,000 to improve bus stops.

The agreement is also expected to include two hours of free parking in the store's car park and work to improve the Winchelsea Road entrance, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Family-run Jempson's previously estimated it would lose £5.6m in turnover by 2027.

In submissions with trading partner Morrisons, Jempson's said the Aldi development would have a significant impact on the turnover of its store in Station Approach and could lead to its closure.

In a letter submitted last February, a spokesman said: "If the Jempson's store were to close, the town centre would no longer have an anchor foodstore and linked trips to other shops and services would be lost.

"The Aldi proposal puts at risk not only the Jempson's store but also other shops in the town centre."

Aldi said impact on turnover in the town centre would be much more limited.

The company expects to draw most of its turnover – estimated at 80% in one piece of correspondence - by diverting spending from stores in Hastings.

This included its own Hastings store, which currently draws around a quarter of its customers from Rye and surrounding areas, correspondence said.

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