Name and shame - cycle parking

[downfader]

My local tesco supermarket is a massive affair, loads of parking for cars and even some for motorbikes. Its also probably the biggest supermarket in southampton. So once you've cycled the 2 miles to bursledon to use it you end up not being able to park the bike. There are three bays for cycles. Not good.

Infact the tesco express over cobden avenue actually has twice as many, and given it has so little space this is great.

Just thinking I should write a letter or email to tesco to encourage cycle usage there. They definately have the space for the bays, and I'm sure they can spare a few hundred quid lol.

 

[snorri]

Just thinking I should write a letter or email to tesco to encourage cycle usage there. They definately have the space for the bays, and I'm sure they can spare a few hundred quid lol.

My nearest Tesco is 20 miles away, they have loads of cycle stands, but these are unusable due to being positioned too close to the side of the building. Also the sets of stands have been positioned so close together as to severely limit the potential cycle parking capacity. I wrote to the LA planning department, spoke to the local Tesco manager, wrote to Tesco HQ, and then went back to the customer help desk at the store. There was no action taken to remedy the situation, and the LA appear helpless in face of the mighty Tesco. Tesco opened another store not too far away and repeated the same errors with cycle stand installation.
Tesco don't care.

 

[downfader]

If the cycle parking is on the supermarkets land then it is the supermarkets responsibility. I suspect they were installed without consulting anyone who knew about cycling, the cycle's dimensions and requirements.

You need to contact the customer services dept at the head office:

Tesco Customer Service
PO Box 73
Baird Avenue
Dryburgh Industrial Estate
Dundee
DD1 9NF

Send it recorded delivery and if they fail to take any notice I think you can send to someone higher. There is also a customer services email, though I think a proper letter might help you. You can also offer them "free advice" should they need it, and state that the lack of provisions looses them a little money as people are put off shopping a little.

 

[PBancroft]

For various reasons, I make a point of never purchasing anything from Tesco nowadays. Thanks for adding another reason to the list!

 

[jimboalee]

Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's don't, to my knowledge, have specific bike parking. They do however, have plenty of sturdy fence posts with holes through them for passing the flexy lock cable.

There is usually three or four bikes locked to the fence, out of the way of traffic and pedestrian, but very visible.

The Tesco Local doesn't have bike parking either, but there is a lamp post and the rail of the trolly park.

Frankly, I'd never thought it was a problem.

 

[Brains]

You are missing the point.

Tesco and all the other large chains do not want cyclists as customers. You don't buy enough.

Some years ago I was living in Florida for a couple of months. The flat we had was next door to the local large supermarket.
We could walk out of our front door, hop over a small wall and walk directly into the supermarket
Having done this a few times we were approached by the manager and told if we turned up again on foot we would be banned from the supermarket.

The company had a ban on people arriving on foot as this was not the 'right' type of costumer. We found out many of the other upmarket type of supermarkets in the USA operated a similar policy. People of foot (or on bikes) simply do not buy enough stuff in one go, therefore cost more per person to process, so they do not want the custom.

Hence the reason why Tesco and others go to great lengths to encourage car driving to their stores with large trolleys, free parking and cheap fuel.

 

[downfader]

You are missing the point.

Tesco and all the other large chains do not want cyclists as customers. You don't buy enough.

Some years ago I was living in Florida for a couple of months. The flat we had was next door to the local large supermarket.
We could walk out of our front door, hop over a small wall and walk directly into the supermarket
Having done this a few times we were approached by the manager and told if we turned up again on foot we would be banned from the supermarket.

The company had a ban on people arriving on foot as this was not the 'right' type of costumer. We found out many of the other upmarket type of supermarkets in the USA operated a similar policy. People of foot (or on bikes) simply do not buy enough stuff in one go, therefore cost more per person to process, so they do not want the custom.

Hence the reason why Tesco and others go to great lengths to encourage car driving to their stores with large trolleys, free parking and cheap fuel.

I dont think I am missing the point and this is the UK not the states. The states is ****ed up as we all know but there is a chance for something better here. Money is money regardless.

Given what I see when I'm in there - lots of single people buying just a few groceries unless its payday - there is every need to encourage cycle and pedestrain access.

 

[Arch]

In a place like York, where quite a lot of people cycle, I think Tesco will welcome anyone. I don't use them often, they're too far away for me, but they do have several sheffield stands, and perfectly well placed.

Same goes for my two local stores, Sainsburys and Morrisons. Morrisons even has staff cycle lockers round the side.

 

[HLaB]

My old local Tesco (Duloch Park, Dunfermline) is useless for bike parking too. After a while they put out a token unbolted 3 tier sheffield type stand and after a while that disappeared; no skin off my nose I never used it and locked my bike to the secure pillar closer to the door.

My new local Tesco (Bruntsfield, Edinburgh) has a covered rack with about 9 spaces this isn't enough however as its right in the middle of student territory and is always full. I don't visit too often due to the problem of finding a space.

The Morrison (Ferry Road) has ample space, although I'm told that wasn't always the case.

A new Morrison (Granton) has been built within a mile of my flat and its been built with plenty of cycle parking

 

[downfader]

Everything I've heard about Morrisons seems to suggest they are embracing cycling.

 

[beanzontoast]

I don't know why, but these things always seem to come across as 'them versus us' which doesn't hold water without knowing the reasoning behind the level of provision that is already there. Opening a dialogue is the way forward.

 

[snorri]

You need to contact the customer services dept at the head office Dundee
DD1 9NF

I did not try that address, but the attitude I got from T**** convinced me my easiest line was just to shop elswhere.

 

[JamesAC]

For various reasons, I make a point of never purchasing anything from Tesco nowadays. Thanks for adding another reason to the list!

+1

 

[Black Sheep]

You are missing the point.

Tesco and all the other large chains do not want cyclists as customers. You don't buy enough.

Some years ago I was living in Florida for a couple of months. The flat we had was next door to the local large supermarket.
We could walk out of our front door, hop over a small wall and walk directly into the supermarket
Having done this a few times we were approached by the manager and told if we turned up again on foot we would be banned from the supermarket.

The company had a ban on people arriving on foot as this was not the 'right' type of costumer. We found out many of the other upmarket type of supermarkets in the USA operated a similar policy. People of foot (or on bikes) simply do not buy enough stuff in one go, therefore cost more per person to process, so they do not want the custom.

Hence the reason why Tesco and others go to great lengths to encourage car driving to their stores with large trolleys, free parking and cheap fuel.

the fact that most tescos have a "under 10 items" check out or an express self service checkout for less than ten items implies they'll take what they get

 

[thomas]

the fact that most tescos have a "under 10 items" check out or an express self service checkout for less than ten items implies they'll take what they get

Keep the poor riff raff to one side . It's probably to get money from those "oh, run out of" kind of people - who'd want to que up for 10 minutes for one item.