IKEA on Côte d’Azur battle hots up

On the one hand a group of over 150 inhabitants of the Saint-Martin Nord district of Mougins are reported to have handed over a petition requesting that their district be re-allocated to close neighbour, Mouans-Sartoux. The Mayor of the latter is set against the plan, claiming the store will result in chaos on the roads and have a negative impact on local shops. The Mayor of Mougins however is in favour, as it will create around 500 jobs and bring visitors and business into the area.

Meanwhile, the group “Pour Ikea Mougins” who are in favour of having the Swedish furniture chain in their midst announced a project to plant 500 trees to represent the number of jobs it will create.

Last year, IKEA threatened to take its latest store across the border to Ventimiglia in Italy if permission was not granted in Mougins.