New convenience store set to open in Tunstall

A new convenience store is coming to Tunstall, but there’s been no announcement about when it’ll open its doors.

The shop, which is in the heritage conservation area on Tower Square, situated just opposite Tunstall Town Hall.

The Star Minimarket’s gaudy red signage makes it stand out from other shops on the square.

It’s also an area’s that’s recently seen anti-social behaviour and rough-sleeping.

The store – which used to be a William Hill betting shop – has been welcomed by neighbouring businesses.

Andy Dean, 46, co-owner of Oasis Travel said he was happy to see another shop opening up, and believes it gives people another reason to visit the high street.

He said: “I’m pleased – it’s better than it being empty.

“We want to see people come out and shopping on the high street rather than Uber-ing a pint of milk!

“My daughter sits at home and orders things online, but I think it’s good to see shops open and busy. When you work on the high street that’s what you want.”

He added: “We don’t know when it’s going to be open.”

“But the next thing we want is to get the car parking free of charge – you have to pay to shop on the high street whereas the retail park is free.

“If the car park in Tunstall was free it would be rammed.”

Fellow co-owner Heidi Evans, 48, also welcomed the new store but pointed out that the shop’s owners have installed metal shutters which she’s previously told she isn’t allowed in front of her windows.

She said: “I emailed Jonathan Gullis because they’ve put up shutters and no-one else is allowed to.

“Especially when we’ve just been vandalised and we have had to pay for it to be repaired.

“We’ve been told that we can’t have shutters. It’s something to do with the heritage.”

Phil Clowes, 54, owner of Hemmings Jewellers agreed he prefers to see the premises being used rather than laying empty – but he felt the signage was a bit out of keeping with the area.

He said: “It’s preferable to an empty shop but it could’ve been a bit more tasteful.

“But I would sooner see 10 shops like that than 10 empty shops.”

He also commented on the shutters, saying: “I’m not against any business having shutters put up but I need to know if there is a rulebook we can all play by – I have always been told I can’t have shutters because we are in a conservation area.

“I’ve been in touch with the council about mine because I have always been led to believe that.”

He said the area had suffered from anti-social behaviour due to being near to the Lily Gertrude homeless shelter, leading business owners to consider how they protect their premises.

“I think a lot of the trouble is people being vindictive rather than seeking material gain.”

“I think the majority of the trouble is going to fizzle out now anyway, now that Lily Gertrude has closed.”

He explained: “We had trouble with people sleeping in the doorway because there were rules to say certain homeless people couldn’t stay there if they had problems.

“But since Lily Gertrude has closed a lot of the anti-social element seems to have disappeared.”

He added: “We need to bring back the buzz and the positivity to Tunstall. We need to encourage people back to the area.”