Millionaire says city is just like skid row

With millions in the bank, prominent businessman Kevin Threlfall could choose to live anywhere he wants.

Despite taunts from outsiders, his first choice has always been Wolverhampton – the city he knows and loves.

But with increasing numbers of derelict eyesores lining the streets as well as the trails of failed regeneration projects all too apparent, the Supercigs founder is now demanding more is done to make the city a place to be proud of.

The entrepreneur, who sold his chain of over 1,200 off-licences and convenience stores to Tesco for £530million in 2002, said the city had been repeatedly let down by the local authority during the last decade, with many of its ambitious projects either delayed, mothballed or simply abandoned.

In a frank letter to Wolverhampton City Council, the 61-year-old – who started his business with a cigarette kiosk at Wolverhampton Market – has listed a series of major projects that have been put on hold including the historic Low Hill railway station in the city centre and the ongoing Raglan Street supermarket saga between Tesco and Sainsbury's.

His angry outburst at the council comes after the BBC-owned travel bible Lonely Planet controversially named Wolverhampton as the fifth worst in the world in an on-line poll, despite never visiting the Black Country.

And today he said its addition to the list was not a huge surprise. "There is no doubt that the travel guide's claim is nonsense," Mr Threlfell, who was a director at Wolves from 2006-2008, said. "But I do feel there is an element of truth in the assertion that Wolverhampton is regarded by many people as a horrible place to live.

"Talking to people on holiday, I have always been amazed by their reaction to where I come from often stating and I quote 'Why on earth would you live there if you have a choice?' I am Wolverhampton through and through and it breaks my heart to think how badly people feel about our wonderful city."

Mr Threlfall, of Pattingham Road, Perton, made his millions when he sold T&S Stores to supermarket giant Tesco seven years ago. The firm, which started off as a single cigarette kiosk on Wolverhampton market in 1975, was founded by Mr Threlfall and his business partner David Lockett-Smith. The business grew rapidly and by December 1986 T&S had opened its 100th shop, with the company then trading as Supercigs. The number of shops doubled to 200 by July 1987, when the company moved onto the main stock market. In June 1989 the Tipton-based Dillons and Preedy business was bought by the high street group next for just over £54 million, and further deals followed in the 1990s with the acquisition of more convenience store groups.

In just 27 years T&S had grown from a single market kiosk to a public company with 16,000 employees and a £1 billion turnover. In a letter to the council he said: "They seem incapable of taking our city forward, with most of the wonderful projects delayed, mothballed or simply abandoned.

"As a businessman I cared passionately about 'getting the job done'. The pride we all had in our city appears to have been replaced by weeds."

The father-of-two highlighted the on-going battle between Tesco and Sainsbury's over a derelict site on the corner of the ring road and the derelict Raglan Street site, which has been ongoing for more than a decade. Tesco and Sainsbury have been battling for more than a decade over the right to build a retail and homes development on the site and are currently engaged in a High Court battle over which should be given the right to develop the prime city centre site.

Another sore point for Mr Threlfall is the historic Low Hill railway station in Sun Street, which closed in 1972. The building has been transformed into a temporary art gallery until September but its long term future remains unclear.

As well as the multi-million i54 hotel, leisure and office project off Stafford Road, Chapel Ash – or Chapel Trash as he calls it – was also mentioned. "Chapel Trash, as it is now known, still suffers from the derelict Charles Clark showroom, which has now been empty for over 25 years. And the much-loved Eye Infirmary building could now, ironically, become the next eyesore in Chapel Trash."

The former hospital, parts of which date back to 1856, has remained derelict since closing in March 2007, and has even become home to squatters in the past.

Council leader Neville Patten said in response: "I share Mr Threlfall's passion for our city and join him in condemning the nonsense of the Lonely Planet 'fifth worst city' hype which was based not on research, but a single throwaway remark on an internet thread."

Councillor Patten said that most of the "unfinished" developments mentioned in Mr Threlfall's letter were private schemes. He added positives from the last 12 months included the £3.5m eco-friendly residential development in Cross Street South, Blakenhall and continued progress on the i54.