THE north has been dealt a double blow after Tesco axed plans for two new stores that would have created 350 new jobs.
The supermarket giant blamed a downturn in business for the decision to pull the plug on the proposals for Fort William and Aviemore, along with 47 other sites across the UK.
Tesco also intends to close 43 stores, but will not say if any of these are in the Highlands and islands.
The Aviemore project was forecast to cost £15million and create 150 jobs, while the Fort William store, which would have created 200 jobs, was to be part of a wider £50million development.
Fort William already has a small Tesco, as well as a Morrisons, and Lidl. Aviemore has a small Tesco that would have been redeveloped if the superstore went ahead.
The announcement was met with dismay in both Lochaber and Badenoch and Strathspey yesterday.
Councillor Andrew Baxter, Fort William and Ardnamurchan, said: “I’m particularly annoyed that as recently as October Tesco was still saying it was completely committed to Fort William.
“Now it is not and I can’t imagine that anything about its business has changed that dramatically in a few short months.
“Tthere is a suspicion that this decision was made some time ago and Tesco has simply sat on a site that it had no intention of using.”
Mr Baxter said he would like to see another big supermarket chain take on the Blar Mhor site, alongside the A830 Road to the Isles, but feared that opportunity may now have been missed.
Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP Charles Kennedy said the news was “deeply disappointing” for residents across Lochaber.
“As someone who lives in Fort William, I know how much this new store was sought after,” he said.
“The loss of both potential jobs and increased supermarket competition will be a hard pill to swallow for many.”
Councillor Bill Lobban, Badenoch and Strathspey, said the Aviemore announcement was “incredibly disappointing”.
He said: “This is bad news for Aviemore and the whole of Badenoch and Strathspey.
“We must hope that this will open the door to other major retailers looking to come to Aviemore, which has everything going for it except a decent-sized supermarket.”
Mr Lobban said the Tesco-owned vacant site, which occupies a prime location in the centre of the village, was “an eyesore” and he hoped it would be put to good use, if not for another supermarket development.
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Danny Alexander, who has long campaigned for an upgrade to the Aviemore outlet, said he was also deeply disappointed with the company’s decision.
He said: “Tesco has long promised another store but these promises now ring hollow in the wake of today’s announcement.
“As someone who lives in Aviemore, I know how much this new store was needed, not only for the jobs that would be created, but also to service the needs of a growing community.”
Highlands and Islands MSP Mary Scanlon said the decision reflected the changing face of supermarket shopping.
“This is a huge disappointment for people living in both areas, but the reason Tesco is having to make these decisions is because shoppers are going to the newer entrants in the market, such as Aldi and Lidl,” she said.
“More competition is needed and I hope councillors will bear this in mind when determining planning applications for retail outlets.
“They should be on the side of the shoppers and consumers, who are looking for choice and great competition.”