Mick Beck from Tesco has sent us the following:
“Following a fire at the Tesco Express in St Margarets, we would like to apologise to our neighbours and customers for the inconvenience this has caused. The most important thing is that no-one was injured during the incident. We hope to re-open the store on Thursday, subject to the necessary work being completed and new stock being available. We are using the local church car park for staff and contractors whilst everyone is working hard to get the store re-opened and we have made a donation to the church as thanks for use of this facility.
We would like to apologise once again for the inconvenience caused by the incident and whilst the work continues. We hope to welcome customers and neighbours back to the store as soon as possible. If you would like any further information, please contact our customer services team on 0800-028-6428.”
Comments
It would be useful, please, for Mr Beck to repeat in writing his verbal assurances that the current temporary HVAC equipment (which is "much" not "slightly" noisier than that destroyed in the fire) will operate for no more than two weeks i.e. until 14 May maximum and that the new permanent equipment will be quieter than the destroyed plant. Near neighbours would welcome quick assurances, please.
David bertram on 2007-05-03 16:29:16 +0000David, Have you raised this issue with the council, they should be able to help. They will monitor the noise levels for you.
Mike on 2007-05-03 21:29:55 +0000I have spoken to an Environmental Health Officer and asked him to look into this with some urgency
Cllr Ben Khosa
Ben Khosa on 2007-05-04 12:10:24 +0000I have indeed raised it with Cllr. Khosa to whom I am grateful to for his prompt action.
David bertram on 2007-05-04 14:34:44 +0000David et al - On Wednesday night at 10pm I went into Tescos and spoke to the supervising engineer. He explained that the fire had destroyed all the acoustic baffling within the aircon system. To cut a long story short he agreed to turn the system off there and then. At 8am Thursday morning the system was back on - and noticeably noisy half way down Broadway Avenue even with the ambient traffic noise. Mick Beck was in the store and agreed to the following until the baffling was remade and refitted next Wednesday. A time switch would turn on the aircon at 8am and turn it off at 8pm. The plant unit that's making the noise is also used to refrigerate all the produce. On Saturday morning the aircon company would attempt a temporary baffling arrangement on the output vent. If this was thought to be unsatisfactory (by residents) he would consider closing the store on Sunday to avoid a neighbour nuisance. I pointed out what to me was the obvious. The store should never have been reopened until all the work was complete, and the noise nuisance was undoing all the bridges he was trying to build with the local community. He agreed
Harry Jacobs
Harry Jacobs on 2007-05-04 16:27:34 +0000Re: my post above. Having recently been misquoted myself on this very website, my apologies to Mick Beck - it wasn't him I spoke to as I thought at the time, but some other Tesco employee. I met Mick this afternoon who also was concerned about the noise, and has assured me that Saturday's temporary 'fix' will work!
Harry Jacobs
Harry Jacobs on 2007-05-04 18:33:25 +0000