TESCO has been accused of pulling out of a deal to decorate a 5m transport interchange in the Borders.
Scottish Borders Council (SBC) leader David Parker has claimed the supermarket giant has reneged on a commitment to meet the costs of rebuilding the faade of Galashiel’s former government buildings.
The 100-year-old edifice in the town’s Market Street, which began life as a textile college, was demolished to make way for a Tesco store in the town’s Paton Street.
Mr Parker said the authority had been in negotiations with the company for the past 18 months over the decorative faade being used to front the 5million Galashiels transport interchange building.
The proposals were firmed up last year with the majority of the public favouring the use of the old frontage, providing Tesco paid for its delivery and reconstruction.
But Mr Parker has said Tesco are unwilling to meet the estimated 700,000 this would involve.
“Instead, all we have been offered is delivery of the stone plus 100,000 for community use – and that is nothing short of derisory,’ he added.
Mr Parker said the authority would be forced to opt for a modern design against the wishes of the public. He added:
“There is no way I will be asking the Borders council tax payer to pay for Tesco’s broken promise. “
The faade is stored at a Tesco depot in Livingston.
A spokesman for Tesco said the company had been working towards giving the authority the stone for free and covering any
“reasonable costs.” He added:
“If SBC no longer wants the stone then we will dispose of it and find another good cause for the money. “
