THE ROW over whether a Home Bargains store would be good for Cardigan continues to simmer.

The debate was sparked by a Tivy-Side report on the expressed concern of Cardigan town councillor Shan Williams to news that the supermarket chain store were looking to move onto the Bath House Road site.

Cllr Williams claimed such a move would result in money ‘going out of the town to England’, therefore hitting the local economy.

However, Cllr Sian Maerhlein took the opposite view – arguing that such a development would not only create much-needed jobs but also draw more people into town.

The row concerns a planning application for a 2,359 sqr m Home Bargains store with space for 182 cars.

Ceredigion county councillors will discuss the proposal shortly.

Home Bargains owner TJ Morris said it hoped the plans would create 100 part and full-time jobs, with a £6m investment in the local economy.

Its ethos is to ‘sell the best branded products at the lowest possible price’ and they are typically between 10 per cent and 30 per cent cheaper than elsewhere, according to the firm.

However, their assurances have failed to win over Cllr Williams.

"On the one hand it's nice to see something happening on this site, but are Home Bargains the right people to come here?” she asked.

"We already have multinational supermarkets in Cardigan selling exactly the same as they'll be selling in Home Bargains.

"It'll have a detrimental and devastating effect on local business."

Warning that Home Bargains would ‘cripple the heart of the town,’ Cllr Williams added: "They say they will undercut every other business by 10-30 per cent.

"That to me is not fair competition. They'll wipe out the competition."

However, local hairdresser Cindy Rogers is among those who disagree.

"I'm very passionate about Cardigan and it's important to have shops like this coming to Cardigan to create jobs and get people to come to the town to use the shops that are there now," she said.

"A lot of people haven't got spare money for expensive things. Home Bargains is a shop for everybody's pocket. I don't think it will have a bad impact on Cardigan."

TJ Morris declined to comment.