ALMOST 2,000 residents have signed up to a petition to bring a budget supermarket to Coleford.

The petition set up by Peter and Clare Hilgart was presented to the Forest of Dean District Council last week.

The couple started the petition in September after Forest planners rejected the scheme for a 1,254 sq metres Aldi store in Tufthorn Avenue.

Mrs Hilgart said: “I’ve just handed over a petition in favour of a budget superstore for Coleford to Councillor Patrick Molyneux.

“It shows an overwhelming response from local residents, with nearly a quarter of Coleford signing the petition.

“Coleford needs a budget superstore to compete with surrounding areas and to give people an alternative to travelling to Monmouth, Lydney, Cinderford or Ross-on-Wye.

“This obviously takes money out of our local economy, but with a budget superstore in Coleford the money will be spent here rather than elsewhere.”

Cllr Molyneux (Hewelsfied and Woolaston, Con) thanked Mrs Hilgart for the petition and said:“We are very keen on supermarkets.

"We have tried to work very hard to deliver a number of supermarkets around the district. But the one you are looking at is the one we’ve refused as it is an out of town development.”

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