TESCO SET TO OPEN BEFORE CHRISTMAS
While some consumers may be delighted, businesses in the High Street have called it "a blow below the belt" and "a death knell".
The supermarket and petrol station on the outskirts of the town, south of Exeter Road at Wellparks, were originally scheduled to open next February.
However, the launch has now been pencilled in for Monday, December 7.
Tesco's regional corporate affairs manager Juliette Bishop told the Gazette: "We allowed a bit of contingency time in case something went wrong or there were problems because of the weather, but we haven't needed it.
"The construction programme has progressed really well so we will be able to open earlier than originally planned, in time for the busy Christmas period. It's a great time to be open and everyone can make use of the store for their Christmas shopping."
Work to level the land and lay the foundations began in June and some of the superstore's structure has now been built.
The retail giant, which expects to create 250 to 350 new jobs at Crediton, has already started the recruitment process and attended a recent jobs fair in Exeter, where a lot of interest was shown.
Crediton resident Christine Davey, 57, said it was good news that Tesco, which will also contain a family-friendly cafe and a pharmacy, will be open in the run-up to Christmas.
"I'm pleased and I'm sure I'll do some of my Christmas shopping there," she said. "I buy things like meat and bread from shops in the High Street, and I shop at Morrisons, but it's good to have a choice. There has never been much choice in Crediton before. It will probably make everything more competitively priced too."
However, Jenni Pitts, co-owner of greengrocer, fishmonger and florist Four Seasons, which has been trading for 30 years this month, said the news was "a devastating blow" for the shops in the High Street.
She said: "We expected Tesco to cream off the Easter trade but I'm not surprised they want the Christmas trade as well. We've struggled with the advent of Morrisons and now we'll have Tesco to contend with as well. It will affect us greatly. We are bound to suffer."
Since Morrisons opened in mid August, the customer base at Four Seasons has halved, and Mrs Pitts said she and her husband David feel like they have been "kicked in the teeth".
Mrs Pitts said: "It has been awful since Morrisons opened. Our takings are down 25 per cent compared to this time last year. I am worried about whether we will still be here next year.
"If customers want to flock to the supermarkets, they can't complain if shops in the High Street shut as a consequence.
"I feel sorry for the people who can't get in a car and go to the supermarket."
Tesco is contributing £5,000 towards a community project in the town that will now not be unveiled at the same time as the new store.
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