Clean-up for Co-op

The Epping Community Group and Epping Town Centre Partnership contacted store managers with their concerns that the Co-op was letting the High Street down.

Now both believe repainting the outside is a step in the right direction.

Epping Community Group chairman Ian Anderson said the store had also taken their advice to clean up the entrance area to make it "more user-friendly".

Mr Anderson thinks the Co-op is looking much better than it did a couple of months ago but he still has some reservations about the store.

He said: "I think they still need to look at the manning of checkouts as there are occasions when the number of checkouts open does not correspond to the number of people waiting. But they have employed more staff so they're moving in that direction as well.

"We've been discussing ongoing things with the Co-op like expanding their sale of non-food goods."

A Co-op spokesman said it was planning to revamp the store next year.

Rob Macrae, of the Town Centre Partnership, believes all towns need a mix of big-name brands and independent shops and that the Co-op is part of this bigger picture.

He said: "The Co-op is there to stay as I don't think they're going to sell to Waitrose or Marks and Spencer. It's a big store in a prominent position and if they continue to build on the recent improvements they could end up becoming a positive asset to the town."

Mr Macrae added that he was sick of hearing "rubbish" about the town dying. Out of eight empty shops he is aware that three have been let, two are under offer and there has been a lot of interest in the old Batchelor shop, which has been earmarked by book chain Ottakars.

He said: "That's a completely different picture than saying shops are shutting down and nobody wants them.

"The town is still popular and many really strong high street names like Marks and Spencer Simply Food, New Look and Fat Face are actively looking for units in Epping."