AS with all success stories, Tesco has its detractors. That fact shouldn't be allowed to sink the supermarket group's plan for a substantial new store on the old B&Q and Royal Mail sorting office sites at Southend Victoria.

Everyone stands to gain from this development, not least established smaller businesses in the adjacent Victoria Centre.

The supermarket will act as a further boost to the revival of Southend High Street's north end. It will also provide a counterbalance to Sainsbury's planned new giant supermarket on the Roots Hall site.

Southend will thus retain a large central supermarket close to its centre, even after Sainsbury's planned migration from its London Road premises.

Customers can only benefit from the competition between the two market leaders on sites so close to one another.

The present retail units have little to fear and much to gain.

Tesco plans a direct link to the Victoria Centre, so retailers will benefit from the thousands of new shoppers converging on this part of Southend.

Tesco is powerful, but that in itself is no criticism. In this instance, Tesco power could be a force for the good.