Once ranked as one of the 10 best places to raise children, the middle-class town of Poynton has recently been at the centre of a large web debate – all because of the opening of a brand new Aldi store.
One disgruntled resident posted his feelings on a web forum under the heading ‘Aldi outrage’ and said:
“With this new Aldi I ask you, what kind of people will this attract to the area?â€.
He goes on:
“I thought we were making real progress as a community with the opening of Waitrose in 2012…However with the opening of Aldi I feel as though we are taking a step back into the lower class. Soon we will be associated with places such as Hazel Grove and other urban areas closer to Manchesterâ€
However, the posts attracted a stream of responses from residents who were looking forward to the award winning produce Aldi has to offer. The posts reflect how middle-class shoppers are beginning to favour the likes of Aldi and Lidl as opposed to larger chains like Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
A supporter of the store posted in response to the criticism:
“Don’t be daft. Superb food at sensible prices. I will go there. I could give you a list of products from chocolate, cereals through cheese, steaks, wines, beers and even champagne that represent superb value for the price paid.â€
Despite the negativity of a number of residents, Aldi said that 150 shoppers queued for the opening of the store last month. Similarly, 300 shoppers queued around a car park for the opening of the new Aldi store in nearby Knutsford in 2013.
It does not stop there. The store in Poynton is just one of 80 Aldi stores opening this year, with a spokesman for the supermarket saying:
“These shoppers are part of over 900,000 new customers that have switched to Aldi during the past 12 months, attracted by our unique combination of award-winning products and the lowest grocery prices in the UK.â€
*Back to April 2016 Newsletter*
©  www.propertysurveying.co.uk   BT