Alarms ring in derelict store

Concerned locals say youngsters are breaking into the old Kwik Save building on Towngate, setting off alarms which are then left ringing all night.

Kwik Save quit the store late last year to make way for Tesco, who intend to build a massive supermarket on the site, but at the moment, no one is on call to turn the alarms off!

Residents have now enlisted their local councillors to persuade Tesco to pull down the building before children get hurt - and before they become raving insomniacs.

One resident, who lives within 50 metres of the empty building, said: "Children break in there at night and are stealing whatever they can move.

"The problem is that the security alarms are still going off and ringing out for hours because no one is on call to turn them off.

"I have gone several nights without sleep because of this." The woman who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals by local youths, added: "The simple answer would be to pull it down now. Not only would we get some sleep, but it would prevent an accident.

"Children are climbing all over the building and breaking in. It can't be safe.

"If they leave it, we think it will fall down before they have chance to pull it down.

"It was very obvious the kids were going to get in. They always used to hang around outside the Kwik Save and now it is shut they think it is a playground."

Tesco plan to create 300 jobs with their new superstore, which is at the centre of the regeneration of Southern Towngate. The building of the new store begins in September.

Coun Denis Lewis, who represents the area, said: "I have received several calls about this and we are trying to contact the agents to see what can be done.

"Clearly, it is unacceptable."

A spokesman for Tesco said: "Now we know of the problem, we will look to address it."

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