No sign of Rye supermarket

The fight to open a supermarket in Rye has dragged on for nearly four years since both supermarket giants were granted planning permission by Rother District Council to build on the same site behind Ferry Road.

Tesco has admitted that it has put plans for many larger stores on hold, blaming the rise of internet grocery shopping.

Channel 4’s Dispatches programme reported on the situation on Monday and listed Rye as one of the planned stores that were on hold.

A bid to break a deadlock between Tesco and Sainsbury’s over access to the site have so far failed despite the intervention of Rye MP Amber Rudd, who called a Westminster meeting on the issue a year ago.

Anthony Kimber, speaking at Rye Town Council’s planning committee meeting this week, said: “The real risk is that both supermarkets may walk away in the light of growing competition from Aldi and Lidl.”

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