Oh deep joy. Tesco have bought up a huge plot of land opposite our house that used to be an office block and intend to seek planning permission for a 24 hour Tesco Extra.
Where we used to have a 9 to 5, Mon to Fri office block we will now (if they get it granted and let's not kid ourselves that it isn;t already cut and dried) have a fecking huge supermarket, housing, car park and various other outlets that they see fit.
We went to a seminar this morning and heard their PR woman say what a wonderful thing it would be for the local area. How it would generate work for local people etc.
Please can I ask that you sign any petition that you see against the buggars (I will be posting a link asap)
I swear to God they are taking over the world.

Aww Bags I'll sign when you put the link but even better would be if we all managed to stop going to Tesco at all It is US who make it so big

Aww Bags, what horrible news, I'll sign the petition if you post a link

Perhaps you should join this woman ...

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It will happen if folks don't object. The public has every right to object and they should do so in huge numbers. If there is strong opposition, and folks lobby their councillors by letter, then it might not happen. It can't be cut and dried cos Tesco has to follow the same planning route as everyone else

A town near here was welcoming Tesco with open arms til the public was consulted and now they say they don't need it as the public clearly said so. The public were asked, and the local rag ran a lot of local local business stories. A local butcher said it all really that his meat and locally baked pies etc were far superior to Tesco. That was reitereated by other local shops who felt the town had everything it needed thank you

The government has done its own cross-party study on Tescoisation. It says it's not sustainable to have Tesco all over the place and it's ruining town centres

People may object, but generally people actually like Tesco's and the other supermarkets, if they didn't Tesco and ASDA etc etc wouldn't make any money and therefore wouldn't expand.

What people object to usually is Tesco's near them (and I understand why), but as long as they are near somebody else or they deliver, people use them in their millions, because they are convenient and cheap. It's all well and good say use your local butcher, baker, candlestick maker - and there is no doubt the produce is better - but you do pay a price for that. But when times are hard, which they are for a lot of people Tesco or ASDA is a cheaper and more covenient choice.

This was brought to you by the Supermarket publicity board

this one will a hundred yards from a large sainsburys
and less than half a mile from an ASDA superstore
and marks and sparks
and woolies
and wilkos
well lets just say that consumers needs are pretty much covered where Baggy lives

Don't want to worry you mate but Dartford council sold Tescos Dartford Park to build on (yes, the pretty one with the rose gardens and playground) even though it wasn't theirs to sell (given to the people, held 'in trust' by the council)
the on going legal battle has so far delayed the project

Trust.....council
hmmmm not words that sit together well eh?

it's the fact that the small village shops in the "fall out" area of Tesco etc gets decimated as they can't compete on price, which is what happens all over the country which is why folks get so pissed off. The next village to our nearest Tesco has lost its shop with post office attached and the pub has gone. The shop and post office were vital and now there is no village It's not just one village, it's all of them, we've lost 7 post offices in one fell swoop. Tesco doesn't provide post offices

Our local butcher is miles better than Tesco. You try and get some butchery done in Tesco and see how well you do. They can't even cut up a chicken. Our butcher is much cheaper. We have two butchers here and they are very good as is the green grocer. Our deli is fantastic, and the owner makes everything himself and wins awards right left and centre. They're all well supported thank goodness I'd rather go to these shops as they're here and going to them is a pleasure

I'm not saying I agree with Tesco's all over the place or ASDA or Sainbury's or Retail Parks - but the bottom line is people will shop there or they wouldn't build them. They aren't charities and if they don't think they can make money then they won't build it.

However given the proximity of the other Supermarkets, I'm surprised they aren't objecting

There are too many of them. When they built a Tesco in town they got the bus service to run to it but they couldn't be arsed to make it a two way service. That's how much Tesco cares about its customers Stranded passengers can just jolly well order taxis I would rather slit me wrists than go to our nearest biggest Tesco. The road is a nightmare, so by the time you get there you're a jibbering wreck. So no ta

see? the thing is, while your arguement is, strictly speaking, true.... (here we go )....
People entering large supermarkets are subjected to psychological trickery to make them buy stuff they don't need, buy way more than they need, spend much more than they intended and so on.
Then they smugly sit back and claim....people spend this much with us, we must be what they want.

When I was doing psychology at university we were all aware that the real money lay not in the NHS but in marketing...especially for supermarkets.

Everything from store layout, music played, shelf height, overhead signage to staff uniforms are the result of millions of pounds worth of research.
And the upshot of all this is small businesses ruined and a generation of obese, unhealthy people who have lost touch with where their food comes from

I'll get orf me soapbox now

Sorry but I think you are missing my point Wards. Tesco is a business, businesses are there to make money. If all the people who wanted to go to a B&B in Bolsover decided to stay at yours because you were a few quid cheaper, but maybe you only served one sausage rather than two, would you put your prices up and turn guests away ?

If we (the public) don't shop at Tesco, then Tesco doesn't make money, but because we do - Tesco does make money, therefore builds more Tesco's to make more money at, which we give them.

If people in the villages were that pissed off they wouldn't shop at Tesco, they'd go to their butcher, but they obviously don't

Post offices generally aren't closing because of Tesco, they are closing because of changes made by the Government in ways they are subsidised, the fact that people now get their benefit paid etc by direct debit rather than have to go to the Post Office and queue for it

If we really really as a nation want to do something about supermarkets taking over then we should stop whinging about them and just not go (which I know you do Wards - so fair play to you), support our local shops.

Here Tara you can have the soapbox back - I borrowed it for a minute

that post office point is a real pisser. The government stopped folks like my mother having her pension by payment book at the post office, as did millions of other. They explained that away by saying folks would rather not queue at the post office. It's a total lie and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. My mother's money had to go to the bank - no choice about it. This is why I hate the way we're led to believe all this baloney is good for us. Pah

I know it's a business but they're too big for their boots and instead of working with local economies they come in blow everyone else out the water which is not the case with B & B's etc, well not the last time I looked. I get business cos I have to be good, competitively price whilst being better than the opposition but I don't price myself dead cheap just to undercut everyone else. I'm not cheaper than everyone else but better If folks want dirt cheap they shop elsewhere. Lucky they have a CHOICE.

It's ages since we've had a good old fashioned debate on here

Back to Bags a minute - I do feel for you I'd hate to have a Tesco opposite me - I wasn't meaning to appear as if I were supporting Tesco's - I'm not.

And that Wards was my point - "if they want dirt cheap they'll shop elsewhere". In the case of the supermarkets versus the local shop they obviously make that choice. People do have a choice - don't go. The other shops don't just shut down instantly. rather than blame the Government, the council, large corporations, we should do something about it ourselves.

There is another take sometimes, in Gateshead Town Centre (horrible 1960's Get Carter Multi storey and all) - Tesco's built a supermarket next to the Metro station. That supermarket kept the town centre going as it was dying a slow lingering death due to the proximity of Newcastle City Centre. Now whilst Gateshead town centre is still horrible (I can say that I lived there ) at least it is still open - without Tesco it probably wouldn't be.

I think sometimes it's too easy for people like us - who perhaps by the very fact that we have allotments, are more environmentally and socially aware/principled than the masses - to forget that we aren't the norm. Most people want cheap food/bleach/toilet roll etc from places that will deliver or are open at half past nine on a Wednesday night.

Right said my bit now - going to work now

have you got Tesco over there yet Reedos ?

Have a good day at the office dear

Things could be worse than Tesco's, we could be all shopping as ASDA, who dont give 2 sh@ts about the environment. Tescos do or are trying cos they want the custom so are listening to customers. the others are still playing catch up. So dont slag them off too much they could be our friend in the long run, just wish they could see food miles

One of the main reasons people shop there is the parking.

the council paints yellow (or round here red) lines and prevent folk popping to their local shops by car.
and yes, I know, we should all use our cars less but the point is....supermarket = huge carpark,
local shops? = drag all your bags onto a bus filled with screaming, jostling schoolkids pay 2 quid each way (minimum fare) only two pushchairs per bus (if there's already two on you've to wait for the next one), try desperately to get off before he shuts the doors on you then stagger from the bus stop home in the pouring rain.

I think the hoooooooooooooooooooooooooogest problem of all is that folks like us are in the minority, the vast majority of the great British public like shopping and just love to buy the latest this that and the other.

Folks like shopping, they are oblivious to being sucked in by adverts and to the commercialism surrounding them. Shopping has become a hobby 'something to do', mum says what shall we do today sprogs, I know lets go to Tesco

Shopping is some folks idea of bliss, all the lovely shiney displays, buy 2 get one frees, what happened to walking to the park or playing monopoly........................

Oh and it is good to read a well reasoned debate which I'm not ignoring .........honest;....................but..................well I'd be lost (I know I'd cope but..........) I really would struggle without my fortnightly tesco delivery

ooooeck

Sorry to hijack your thread Bags

Hmm, this is making for interesting reading. Here's my twopenn'orth...

Two miles away in my nearest small town (pop about 10,000), we have a Somerfield, small Co-op and a Proudfoot (one of Mr Proudfoot's 3 privately-owned supermarkets in the Yorkshire area).

A couple of years ago, Tesco tried to get planning to build a store right next to Josh's primary school in a narrow road in the middle of town, which was eventually turned down due to us parents getting up a petition and making a racket about it and due to the fact that we already had Proudfoots - who, it must be said, have helped save and regenerate old buildings on their site, have sponsored many local events and community initiatives and sell local/Yorkshire/rare breed produce and meat from named farms in the area (which is mainly what I go in there for).

We heard only a week ago that Tesco have now bought out Proudfoots and they will be closing for good at the end of the month, along with the cafe and factory shop in the same building, prior to a refit and opening of the new Tesco in the whole exisitng building.

There's already a Tesco at Brigg 20 minutes away and one at Scunthorpe 30 minutes away if you want to shop there, but there's a fair bit of stuff I can get locally so 99% of the time I try here first.

I'm kinda waiting to see what happens - I hope Tesco might still stock the local stuff that Proudfoots do, but have a horrible feeling it'll be the same old same old. The two independent town chemists have now sold out to high-street chains as well (one is Lloyds Pharmacy) although there are still quite a lot of independent shops.

In my village we have a P.O., chippie, newsagent, 2 pubs, butcher/greengrocer, hair/beauty salon and the inevitable Costcutter - as Wardy (?) said, so many villages are losing their shops, we're very very lucky to have ours and I shall keep strolling down the lane to the market place as first stop - use it or lose it.

Sorry to hear about your Proudfoots. Our local Somerfield doesn't seem to give a stuff about the local community and gives nothing. Co-op are generally helpful and whilst they can't give money to our in Bloom they'll give us compost etc which is fine by us. Somerfield won't even sponsor a basket. We find that with all the multiples like Ladbrokes etc. The local shops nearly all cough up as it's their community and they're interested in it.

I think you're right, use it or lose it. I find our local shops more interesting cos you can get some right good bargains. Plus Tesco never sells "lumps of wood which just might come in handy" We lost our DIY shop cum timber yard when the owner retired which was a right blow. You could buy everything from one screw to a full kitchen

We are loosing our Post Office in June, it's always busy. Kewstoke are aso getting same treatment. They reckon we can all go into town or to the outof town shops near Sainsburys. Both these branches are always busy too and parking is hopeless. Signed the petition but not very hopeful

Oh, that's a shame - I think I remember you posting about that Wards. We've still got one of those "four candles" shelved-to-the-ceiling DIY shops (up the road from Proudfoots ).

I got 5 o-rings there for Mr L just the other day (don't ask - I didn't!!! ) and the guy had all these little paper bags with different sizes in, which he sorted through to get the right ones for me. He said if they weren't right, bring em back and he'd change them or give me my money back. Ace.

Sorry to hear of you troubles Bags. Oh so HATE Tescos!

... we have similar problems here in Watford ... the local traders are all up in arms ... we already have one of the largest stores in the town and now they want to put in THREE of their 'express' efforts all within the town limits ...