Supermarket Urged To Act Over ‘Tattiness’

Harborough’s MP has branded the area around Sainsbury’s in Market Harborough as ‘tatty’.

Neil O’Brien is calling on the supermarket to deal with a broken sign, rubbish in the car park and other issues after being contacted by residents.

The Conservative MP says he has also received complaints about other neglected parts of Market Harborough, including on the High Street, where he has dubbed an area left exposed after a tree was removed as ‘the Harborough hole’

Neil O’Brien is calling for action from Sainsbury’s

Mr O’Brien has also praised the work of volunteers and community groups, like Market Harborough in Bloom, who give up their time to care for parks, pick litter and maintain public spaces, and said their efforts should be ‘matched by stronger action from local authorities and responsible upkeep by businesses.’

He is continuing to press for investment in the town centre, better maintenance from the council and stronger enforcement on fly tipping and littering.

Neil O’Brien beside ‘the Harborough hole’

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said, “We’re proud to be part of the local community in Harborough and have recently invested in our local store, including resurfacing the car park and improving lighting as part of ongoing refurbishment works.

“We are working closely with our partners to explore options for replacing the signage at the side of the store as soon as possible.”

Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council, has hit back at the MP’s comments and said: “Market Harborough is one of the cleanest and prettiest towns in Leicestershire, and the evidence of winning a Gold Award from Britain in Bloom for three years running speaks for itself.

“I have checked with officers, and we have had zero complaints. We have also had nothing forwarded from Neil O’Brien MP relating to mess and neglect. It is disappointing that once again we are having to respond publicly to negative comments about our town.

“Our high street and town centre is flourishing with regular new shop openings which keep bringing new jobs and new life to our wonderful town.

“There is a small gap where a tree used to be which officers have been working with Leicestershire County Council on – whose responsibility it is – to address this, and we hope to have this sorted in the coming months, but it is not a question for the district council who are very proud of the town, how it looks, and what it has to offer.”