TOLLGATE COTTAGE: Grade II Listed. Circa 1850.
Late 2013, controversial plans were submitted for a new petrol filling station in Ludlow. It was to be built next to the pretty little Tollgate Cottage on Bromfield Road. There was strong local opposition despite an almost total news blackout. But at the eleventh hour, the applicant suddenly withdrew his plans, to great relief.
However, early last month (Feb 2014) those plans were quietly re-submitted. [1] And yet again there’s been a total news blackout! Not a mention in the Journal or the Advertiser!
And our hopeless local politicians are staying mum too! Not a word at all in their election propaganda! Are the four councillor-wannabes already asleep on the job?
The proposed petrol station would be sited on the rustic piece of land between Coronation Avenue and Bromfield Road. Google Street View here: [2] An attractive entrance to the town, close to the secondary school. It would become an eyesore and a hazard. Moreover, the area floods regularly. Toxic petrochemicals from a filling station would leach into our rivers. Quite the wrong place for it.
CONTENTIOUS PLANS FOR HISTORIC LUDLOW: New Texaco Filling Station
The South Shropshire Journal, in its briefest mention last year [2013] said the applicant was Mead House, a pension fund from “the Isle of Skye“. How mysterious! Why would a business, so far away, be interested in little old Ludlow?
Well, the mystery is finally solved! And we must ask WHY the Journal and Advertiser – and the clown councillors “representing” us – are so reluctant to reveal the truth!
The secret applicant behind the petrol filling station is Mr David Delves of Churchstoke. Delves, anyone? Yup, David Delves is the son of Roy & Ruby Delves of Mead House, Churchstoke! Grandson of the famed Harry Tuffin!
REVELATIONS: Land Registry
With sales of £68 million a year, Harry Tuffins was in the top 50 independent retailers of petrol and provisions. Then in a shock move 2012, the Delves family, owners of Tuffins since 1955, cashed in. Selling out to the Co-operative for “an undisclosed sum”. Kerr-ching!
However, the Delves have spoken since of their wish to build a new empire. Another chain of petrol stations and convenience stores! Paul Delves (David’s brother) told The Grocer magazine that they were “looking at a few more sites“, adding that the family wants to “get back into the Top 50 again” ! [3]
MEDIA MYTH: the Applicant from Skye?
So now we know who’s behind these contentious plans for a filling station on Bromfield Road Ludlow! Forget that rubbish about mystery bankers from the Isle of Skye.
It’s Tuffins of Churchstoke after all! The Delves have already bought the site at a cost of £560,000. [4]
They must be very confident that the Ludlow planners will nod it all through!
Kerr-ching!
Such a pity we can’t trust the press to inform us of these goings-on. What’s to be gained from keeping us in the dark?! We may well wonder!
UPDATE 03/15
At last! More than twelve months after this Application was first submitted, and our controversial Shropshire councillor Andy “Bodders” Boddington has finally come clean; admitting that the Applicants are the Delves family!
MEAD HOUSE MYTH
Forget that old nonsense about the Applicants being “from the Isle of Skye”!
That was a myth that Bodders and his Press buddies were putting about, to keep us dumbed-down. While the wheels of government in his grubby planning department were greased to ease this one through.
To be exact, the Delves / Tuffins family, live just up the road in Churchstoke, Powys. That’s Wales, not Scotland! A fact that Councillor Boddington has known full well for a long while now.
In fact, since March 2014, readers of this blog were fully aware of the Applicants’ true identity – the Delves/Tuffin family.
Since “Bodders” is an avid reader of this blog – and plagiarist of it – we must wonder why he’s been staying schtum for so long!
Does controversial Councillor Boddington have a ‘special relationship’ with the Delves family? And precisely what form might that take? Do they do loyalty cards at Tuffins?! If so, Bodders certainly deserves one, for maintaining such a sustained conspiracy of silence!
What other secrets has old Bodders got up his sleeve?!
THE TRUTH FINALLY OUT – over 12 months since plans were first submitted!
[1] http://planningpa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=N0L8Y7TDHMJ00
Ludlow needs another fuel outlet and even more important it’s jobs that the town needs have you forgot how many family’s have worked for Harry tuffins over the years good luck to you I hope you get what you want