In St Ann’s, people have expressed their desire to see a budget supermarket in the area. The famous discount store IC Discounts on Wells Road recently closed after 28 years and the Aldi on Huntingdon Street on the border of the suburbs with the city center closed on August 1, 2021.
Now residents of St Ann’s are worried as they either have to travel to get their groceries or go to the Tesco in Victoria Center which for some is expensive. People described what they would like to see replace what was Aldi on Huntingdon Road, with many saying another store.
Builder Aaron Daley, 33 and from St Ann’s, said more needed to be done with St Ann’s in general. He said: “We have a Heron but what we really need is something like Aldi. I’ve never seen an Aldi suddenly shut down and that one [on Huntingdon Road] was really popular. I’ve been there all the time, now I think there must be a budget store, whether it’s where Aldi was or not, but Wells Road is huge, something can be put there .
Read more: Here’s what St Ann’s locals think of the area
Aaron went on to say he felt St Ann’s had been let down and said: ‘The area is forgotten most of the time. We are only remembered when there are plans for more student accommodation. A region that wants a cheap supermarket is not asking too much.
Sonia Da, is currently on maternity leave and lives in St Ann’s. The 25-year-old said the nearest large supermarket is Tesco. She said: “I think there has to be a new supermarket, Aldi was the closest option for me and now Tesco is my only option. Everyone has a budget so you can’t depend on it. only one supermarket.
To get to the nearest budget supermarket, Sonia has to travel half an hour by bus. Sonia continued: “When he closed [Aldi] I thought ‘why?’ and everyone asked the same thing. The prices at Tesco can be expensive and I don’t mind that too much, but other people will.
Barbara Smith, 75, works in a nursing home and lives in St Ann’s. She agrees there must be a budget supermarket and said: ‘There should be another supermarket. The nearest Aldi is on Woodborough Road and the nearest Lidl is in Carrington. We have to go to Tesco or go to Heron but you can’t do your full grocery shopping in Heron.”
(Photo: Nottingham Post/Marie Wilson)
Barbara goes to Carlton Road to do her shopping, she has to travel by bus and then take a taxi on the way back with all her groceries. Otherwise, she will make an online store. Barbara, who has lived in St Ann’s for 50 years, also feels the area is forgotten. She said: “We need something at St Ann’s, they think we’re rubbish, it’s St Ann’s.”
