NOW Tesco has pulled out of the town, here’s what readers have had to say about the future of the Northgate site on our website.

joules74: “I’d love to see something that families can enjoy – ideally an ice rink. It would bring in people for competitions or ice hockey matches – there isn’t one between Plymouth and Swindon. Good exercise and social for all ages.”

swjoduk: “It will probably lay derelict for many years. It would be good to get retail or leisure in but in reality that will not happen. It will probably be housing if anything.”

Anonymous Me: “With all the recent house building around town we need to attract big brand names to open shops but we only have tiny little units. The biggest town centre store we had (the former M&S) was split into smaller premises and the same happened to the old Post Office site too.

"A town centre with only pubs, clubs, mobile phone and charity shops on offer should not be throwing away this opportunity on leisure facilities. The Splash is gone, get over it, at least we now have a proper swimming pool. With the prospect of Hinkley Point C arriving the town should be trying to stop all the retail money escaping to Taunton, Bristol or Exeter.

"We can earn money and live here but where can we then spend it?”

grisleyreg: “Let’s face it, large stores are not going to come to the town. If any had been interested they would have bid when the site was last available.

"It’s odds on to finish up as housing because leisure is a non-starter and the number of empty units in the town centre is a good indication that additional shops are not required.

"Large stores will continue to go to Taunton or Street and Bridgwater will lose out yet again.”

John Goddard: “It should be used as a green space or park with seating and trees. It is too good a site to throw away on a dubious development like Tesco; it would have been terrible if a supermarket had been built.

"The whole matter should be reviewed very carefully.”

Here’s what our readers had to say on Facebook.

KATE CRUMP: “An ice rink, especially for teenagers who have nothing at the moment and nowhere to go. It's all very well building more houses but we now need to stop and think about supporting the people that live here already.”

KELLY HALL, from Bridgwater: “I’d love an ice rink. I would probably invest in some skates if we had one. It’s a shame they got rid of the one in Bristol ... used to love going there. Something like this might actually bring people to the town.”

LOUISE CHILCOTT, from Bridgwater: “Definitely something for families and kids. They have nothing here now."

TINA WINN, from North Petherton: “Build a Splash and entertainment complex or have a shopping outlet with clothes shops as we really need some decent clothing stores.”

EMMA LOUISE PORTER, of Bridgwater: “An entertainment complex, like bowling and an ice rink, something for families, a swimming pool to replace the Splash and a couple of shops like a Primark.”

SOPHIA KINGSTON, from Bridgwater: “Maybe a nice swimming pool, considering Splash was a good attraction for tourists visiting and children have hardly anything to do now.”

MATTHEW HEAL, from Burnham: “It will be social housing, you wait and see.”

LINDA MEEK: “Something for families. A really decent outdoor play area wouldn’t go amiss with picnic areas, maybe an area with water features for the summer.”

PAULA PHIPPS, from Bridgwater: “Swimming pool, ten pin bowling, a Primark. No more houses are needed.”

URSULA MARTIN, from Bridgwater: “Something that encourages people to the town rather than driving them away would be good.”

LORRAINE BALCOMBE, from Bridgwater: “A new council-run sport centre with lots of activities as well as pool. That would generate the income the council needs.”

CLAIRE COYLE, from Bridgwater: “I have only lived in Bridgwater a year and a half but I’m with most people ... it needs something like bowling or ice rink. There’s nothing for the kids in this town and too many shops especially takeaways. More money will come into the town if it is made into a family place.”

PAULINE RUSSELL, from Bridgwater: “They won’t even consider building another pool now we have Chilton Leisure Centre. Splash was operating at a loss which is why it was knocked down. I think some kind of leisure facility like bowling would be ideal, along
with food retail and shops.”

The Mercury also ran an online survey asking people what type of development they most want to see on the site. Here are the results: