Village store faces potential competition from planned discount retailer in Seewald-Besenfeld.
In the heart of Besenfeld, Vincenzo Laudicina runs a local store with a pizzeria, a popular gathering spot for the community. However, a planned discount store in Seewald-Besenfeld, a district of Freudenstadt, has raised concerns for Laudicina and other local business owners.
The discount store, set to be built on the outskirts of Seewald-Besenfeld, has been approved by the town council, with Mayor Dominic Damrath (CDU) stating that the decision was made after intensive consultation in a public meeting. However, over 200 citizens, including JΓΌrgen Sester, have signed a petition against the construction of the discount store, fearing it could harm local businesses.
Sester, a local resident, started the petition to support the store in Besenfeld, which offers approximately 10,000 products, and is worried that the charm of the village could be lost if the store were to close. He hopes to change the minds of the local administration before the construction begins.
Laudicina shares Sester's concerns, fearing that the discount store's lower prices could attract customers away from his store. However, he hopes that his central location in town will give him an advantage. Elderly people in Besenfeld often visit the store not just for shopping, but for socialization as well.
The petition against the discount store has garnered 200 signatures, but only 50 are from residents of the village itself. This has led some to question the strength of the opposition within the community. However, an online petition to support local businesses in Besenfeld has also gained traction, showing a divide in opinions.
Mayor Damrath has assured that he will continue to seek dialogue and consider the concerns during the implementation process. He considers the local store in Besenfeld "neither ecologically nor economically sensible".
The butcher and the baker in Besenfeld may also face competition from the discount store, adding to the concerns of local business owners. If the local store were to close, Laudicina's pizza service would not generate enough income to sustain his business.
There are already two additional discount stores within a 10-minute drive from Besenfeld, raising questions about the need for another one. Despite this, Mayor Damrath maintains that the decision was made with the best interests of the town in mind.
The debate continues as both sides present their arguments, with the future of local businesses in Besenfeld hanging in the balance.
