TV’s Selina Scott marshals star names against Malton supermarket

The TV presenter, who lives near Malton, North Yorkshire, is leading the fight to prevent the superstore being built there, claiming it will be a “death sentence” for the town’s independent traders.

More than 50 of the region’s oldest-established and prominent families, along with leading public figures and business people, have now put their names to an open letter as part of the campaign.

Among them are Simon Howard from Castle Howard, Sir Richard Storey from Settrington House and Lady Middleton from Birdsall along with Lady Clarissa Collin from Pockley and the Earl and Countess of Mexborough from Hawnby.

Sir Richard Beckett at Rievaulx, Jake Duncombe at Duncombe Park, Nicholas Wrigley at Ganton, James Fenwick at Terrington and Prof Oliver James at Sleightholmedale have also added their support.

The open letter states an “imminent threat is looming over the historic and unspoiled market town of Malton” and calls on Ryedale District Council to re-consider a decision to sell off the Wentworth Street car park for development.

The letter adds: “We call upon the district council to uphold national and local planning policies to protect the vitality and viability of town centres, and to respect the clear will of the people of Malton. If localism is to have any real meaning, the district council’s short-term gain must not be their long-term pain.”

Councillors voted last year to sell the car park, after seven companies expressed an interest in developing the site. The district council’s leader Keith Knaggs has confirmed he expects a planning application to be submitted by Leeds-based GMI Holbeck Land to develop the Wentworth Street site.