It has been 15 years since the Co-op opened in Oundle. Despite receiving a very mixed welcome at that time, independently-owned shops such as Trendalls, Oundle News and the Bakery had continued success, and the majority of Oundle still rely on these shops for many of their needs. Why, then, are many people still angry about the instalment of a Tesco?

The new Tesco is not like the Co-op. It is not a supermarket, hence the “Express” interjection; rather it is a miniature store of indulgence. For example, there is a copious variety of chocolate cakes and bars, crisp packets and sugary soft drinks. If you are around in the market and are determined on saving a few pennies, Tescos provides a fine replacement for the late One Stop and sadly, in many cases, the independently-owned stores.

Inside Tesco everything is modern and squeaky-clean; a model of a 21st-century shopping environment. However, it clearly reflects the changing personalities of the consumer: a glossy, perfectly level new floor, humming refrigerator units that smell like vacuum cleaners, security cameras in abundance, and even staff who pack your bags for you.

Whilst these luxuries of shopping are all very nice indeed, they are once again crossing the line that separates what we need and what we want, and in so doing, increases our expectations. If my shopping bag is not packed, the task seems so much more challenging and my satisfaction from other stores is affected.

If you remember the image and feel of the former One Stop, how does it compare with Tesco Express? Probably not very well. Indeed, the image of Tesco bears closer resemblance to nuclear reactors and Dr No’s laboratory. Tesco stores, like McDonald’s eateries, are all identical and designed very similarly with potential for easy modification. There is not the individuality of our beloved local, long-running, friendly, family-run, traditional specialist stores.

Oundle News is an older establishment, and sells a vast variety of goods. It sells pick ‘n’ mix with a fantastic selection of sweets which you put in little bags. This method of shopping is unlike that which the Tesco customer would experience. Tesco packages food in plastic; the food is now rendered almost invincible from any fines imposed by the Food Standards Agency, or any unsatisfied customers with the potential to sue. After all, there is always the minute possibility that sweets exposed to the open air may have been infected by a toddler with dirty hands, amongst other methods of contamination. Tesco cannot risk a high-profile legal battle, and insulates food in incalculable wads of plastic. And where does this mass of plastic go, if not carefully recycled.

Gargantuan supermarket chains cannot respond to local customers in the same way that small, independent shops can; everyone likes the privately-owned stores and feels a certain loyalty to buy more from them. Tesco’s “niche” lies in servicing large population areas via colossal suburban supermarkets; their functionality here is significant. But does Tesco belong in little Oundle, despite the “Express” in its name to soften its impact?

Consider this: if something terrible was to befall any of our treasured local stores which have been with us for many decades, we would all feel immense regret; it would forever be a dark day in Oundle history. However, if the Tesco had to close, I believe the loss to us would be as significant as the loss to its corporate headquarters; trifling.