TRADERS in both Ludlow and Tenbury have good cause to have supermarkets on their minds.

In Tenbury the story is all too well known.

In the spring of 2010 Tesco announced that it intended to build a supermarket on the site of the former Auction Yard in the town creating more than 100 jobs.

The issue split the town with supporters claiming that it would create jobs, develop a site that has become an eyesore and bring money and visitors into the town thus benefiting local shops.

Those against fear that it will change the character of the town, cause traffic problems and take business from Tenbury’s excellent local shops.

So who was right? The answer, of course, is that we do not know because six years on and the Tenbury store remains nothing more than an artist impression although Tesco keeps repeating that at some unspecified date it will come to the town.

Meanwhile, at the end of 2014 feathers were ruffled amongst Ludlow traders when plans were unveiled for a new supermarket and petrol station at Rocks Green on the outskirts of the town.

The Chamber of Trade swung into action and launched a ‘Love Ludlow’ campaign to block the project that they fear will badly damage the shops and spoil the special character of Ludlow Town Centre.

There has followed a prolonged period in which those against the scheme might have started to think that it had gone away but not it all seems back on the agenda.

Now a report on the economic impact on Ludlow has been produced on behalf of the developer reviving the issue.

This report suggests that the impact would not be huge – perhaps in the order of 10 per cent.

The big difference between the proposed developments in Tenbury and Ludlow that in Tenbury it is in the town centre and it is Ludlow it is on the outskirts.

What is not clear is which way round is best or worst for the small businesses in each town.

Experience shows us that economic forecasting makes predicting the weather look like an exact science. In short no-one knows what the impact will be and in any event the factors that informed the predictions may well change.

If the figure of 10 per cent is correct then that is not an insignificant number and it is easy to believe that this could be the difference between survival and going under for some businesses in Ludlow.

As is the case in Tenbury, opinion will be divided in Ludlow on the supermarket scheme and Andy Boddington, who represents the town on Shropshire Council, says that there is roughly a 50-50 split for and against amongst the people he has spoken to.

There is no date for the decision about the planning application never mind when a store might be built if approval is given.

There is much for people to argue and disagree about with the Ludlow supermarket application.

But one thing that will surely be agreed is that uncertainty is bad for business and therefore an early decision on the scheme, one way or the other, is best for all concerned.