Dundee’s Citizen of the Year fears that the opportunity to find work will be stripped from vulnerable Dundonians if plans for a new Aldi supermarket do not go ahead.
Stella Carrington spoke passionately in favour of granting planning permission to the store, which is planned for Myrekirk Road, and was delighted to see it given the go-ahead in August.
She said the 30 Living Wage jobs it would bring and the easy access to cheap food were vital to the future wellbeing of poverty-stricken homes in the city’s Lochee and Charleston areas.
Mrs Carrington was left horrified this month after a second plea fell on deaf ears as the city’s licensing board refused Aldi the right to sell alcohol.
The German supermarket giant has already said it cannot proceed with the store on those terms and will appeal.
In the meantime, plans for the store together with proposals for another three Dundee supermarkets hang in the balance.
Mrs Carrington said: “I am deeply worried about the threat to this proposal and the jobs it will bring to the city.
“No supermarket would be willing to go ahead without a key part of their offering and the decision taken by the licensing board leaves me very agitated.
“I was at the meeting and spoke in favour of the development, but it seemed like a foregone conclusion that they would reject the licence.
“Welfare changes are cutting deeply and people need to be able to feed themselves more cheaply.
“In Lochee and the surrounding area we have a higher amount of people going to foodbanks than in any other part of Dundee.
“I cannot understand how the council can throw away the chance to bring jobs and investment to the city at this time.
“We also have the Western Gateway to consider as it will need amenities.”
Mrs Carrington said she understood the reasons for the council’s over-provision policy but fears it could now be standing in the way of jobs and investment in the city.
“I feel that it is sad that the majority will suffer because of the actions of the minority.
“I know there is a problem with drink in this city and elsewhere but at the heart of that problem is the lack of jobs.
“If Dundonians young and old can be helped to find jobs then I am sure that the city’s alcohol and drug problems will diminish.
“In the past every corner shop in every community has been granted a licence by our council and now it seems we are all going to suffer.”