Independent traders warn fifth supermarket in one square mile will squeeze Weymouth high street

Independent shopkeepers in Weymouth, Dorset, say a planned Marks & Spencer Foodhall will be the fifth supermarket to open within roughly one square mile and will further strain small town retailers.

Locals already have a Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Lidl and Aldi in the Dorchester Road area, and the new M&S site — a relocation from the town centre — is due to open in 2027 opposite the Morrisons and Aldi. Shop owners say the concentration of large grocery chains is drawing trade away from the high street and could force independent firms to close.

Deborah Strange, owner of Howells Butchers, which has traded in Weymouth for almost a century, said: "There are too many supermarkets in such a small space - it's total overkill. When I look out of the shop window I can see three of them." She said her business retains loyal customers and community support but that the expansion of supermarkets is "taking business out of the town centre which is killing the high street." Strange also cited parking charges in the town centre as a disincentive for shoppers.

Other independent traders in the area have expressed similar concerns, saying that multiple national chains clustered along Dorchester Road reduce footfall for smaller outlets in the centre of Weymouth, a seaside town whose population the council says is almost 54,000 and rises seasonally with visitors.

Dorset Council said attracting well-known brands could help "energise Weymouth's economy." A council spokesperson said: "Energising Weymouth's economy is an important objective for Dorset Council. Attracting well-known brands will encourage further investments across all industry sectors. With a population of almost 54,000 that increases exponentially with visitors every year there is room for businesses of all kinds from large nationals to small independents." The council declined to comment further on any specific planning approvals.

Marks & Spencer has not commented in the material provided about the move beyond its planned relocation and target opening date. The new Foodhall will occupy space opposite two existing supermarkets on Dorchester Road, adding to the cluster of national grocery operators in the area.

Independent retailers and business groups often argue that supermarket consolidation and out-of-centre food stores shift customer spending away from traditional high streets, affecting diversity of local retail and commercial vitality. Local shopkeepers in Weymouth say they need measures to boost town-centre footfall and address parking to maintain a viable trading environment.

The M&S Foodhall's planned opening in 2027 is the latest development in a dispute between national retail expansion and the survival of long-established independent traders in a coastal market that depends on a mix of resident and visitor spending.