ROW BREWING OVER FELLOWSHIP'S SHOP

Source : 09/03/1988 Northampton Chronicle and Echo

A row is brewing between the Jesus Fellowship and South Northamptonshire councillors over traffic jams outside a Towcester shop.

Deliveries to Goodness Foods in Watling Street, which is run by the Jesus People, cause traffic jams and could be a danger to pedestrians.

That is what councillors will be told at Thursday's meeting of the Planning Committee, in a report prepared by Keith Goldie, chief planning officer.

He says the problems are being caused because the rear access to the shop has been closed.

'This is a matter of some concern. The previous operators of this shop have relied on servicing direct from Watling Street, but the frequency of deliveries appears to have increased.'

'The footpath at this point is narrow and not sufficient in width for the pedestrian flow. Further restriction by obstructions of the footpath is dangerous,' says the report.

Mr Goldie recommends councillors to seek the help of the police and highway authority to take action to remove these obstructions.

Spokeswoman for the Jesus People, Liz Donovan said: 'This is the first we have heard about this problem. No-one had approached us and complained about congestion on the road.'

'We had no option but to take the shop as it was. Obviously we would prefer rear access but we have no say about that. It is a niggling little problem which we have to cope with.'

Owner of the property Mr John Newman said: 'This is the first I have heard about this problem, but then that is how things happen in Towcester. You always hear things second-hand.'

'I suppose there is about one tenth of the deliveries now, compared to what there used to be under the previous people in the shop.'

'I don't see how the council can prevent people from delivering to their shop - it's everyone's right. No-one has delivered to the back of that shop for the last 20 years because it is so awkward.'

Concern over deliveries to the shop were raised by Towcester councillor Stanley Dunkley and Towcester Town Council.