Bloody Tesco

[Tezcatlipoca]

Ok, so I'm a little upset. Why? Let Uncle Tez tell you a story. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin:

 

Once upon a time in a town called Brighton there was an area of economic decline. The local housing was cheap, filled with students and the unemployed, and largely dilapidated. The local shops were almost all small businesses, most of them just ticking over.

Because the land was cheap, there was also a huge Sainsburys in the area. Along the main road were some local cornershops, video store (still selling VHS tapes), a small market, a local Spar and a Co-Op. The other businesses included a vets, a small surgery, post office and a few charity shops and second-hand furniture shops.

The area was, in essence, like any small area within a larger town or city, and one whose economic heart was only just ticking over. Most of the money in the area was coming in from people visiting the huge Sainsburys.

 

Now one of the more ghastly establishements in this place was an old forecourt garage. Not especially large and not especially nice, it went the way of so many smaller establishements and was condemned.

The nice men from the council came around years ago and knocked it down. Then they went away again.

For years, the site was just left to rot. Nothing moved in, no business took over. The site came to be a local haunt for addicts, drunks and those relieving themselves. Rubbish built up and the place was ghastly.

 

About 2 years ago, in a stunning act of selfless social regeneration, the local community came together and took matters into their own hands.

They cleared out all the rubbish, cleaned the plot, and built a gorgeous Community Garden in its place, complete with rockeries, pathing and a small pond. Everyone was welcome and the place was a pleasure to go past.

The community loved the garden, and the project featured several times in the local paper as an example of regeneration by the community for the community.

 

Last year, rumours began that Tesco - may they burn in hell - had bought the vacant plot and decided to put a small Express store there (this is, of course, right opposite the Spar, next to the Co-Op and just down the road from the biggest Sainsbury's in the city).

Protests and letters began, but nothing really seemed to happen from Tesco's side and the garden stayed.

 

This morning, Uncle Tez was cycling past this garden and found a vast swathe of police cars blocking the road, lights flashing. PC Plod was growling menacingly at a group of perhaps a dozen or so protesters, many of them young children, who are standing in front of the enormous JCB Tesco have sent around to rip up the entire garden so a shiny new Tesco Express can be built whilst a film crew from the local paper looked on.

 

And sadly, here endeth the tale. I have a nasty suspicion that when I cycle past this garden again it won't be there any more.

 

So, excuse me if I just vent slightly when I say a heartfelt and angry **** YOU TESCO.

[Dodgy Geezer]

I have been saying for years that Tescos are attempting world domination.

[underdog13]

Completely understand and sympathise with your frustration, Tez.

 

I absolutely despise Tesco - this is typical behaviour from them.

[underdog13]

In addition, I wonder which avaricious slime ball on your local council took the back hander to allow this ludicrous piece of planning to go ahead; they could hardly demonstrate a need for another shop in this particular area, could they?!

[Tezcatlipoca]

One of the most upsetting things is that this is going to get major coverage, if not front page, in tomorrow's local paper and - quite rightly - public sentiment will be outraged...

 

...for about 24 hours, then it will all get forgotten and Tesco will sit there with their shiny new Express (the site is nowhere near large enough to accomodate anything other than a very small store) in the place where there used to be really a rather nice garden, built at their own expense by the local community for the enjoyment of everyone.

 

Obviously, I understand how corporate business behaves and am well aware this sort of thing goes on constantly; it's more when you see it happening directly to a place you actually care about that it hits home. Not cool. Not cool at all.

[locutus]

public sentiment will be outraged...

 

...for about 24 hours

That's the trouble, people forgive and forget too soon and I bet even some of the people protesting will go in when they need something that Tesco has on offer within a year of the store opening!

 

The only (very slight) solace is that it will fetch in a little bit more employment.

 

Now, Uncle Tez is normally rushed off his feet I'd imagine, but if someone was to make an effective stand against this, I'd imagine it would be an intelligent person who has the ability to make articulate arguments. Maybe even get the local council to "donate" some other land in the area for the community, and get Tesco to contribute some materials to make that over?

 

Just a thaught

[Dodgy Geezer]

Tescos Bangkok. I could actually see one from my hotel window...

 

 

 

 

 

I reckon Locutus works for Tescos.

[loopylil]

Hi well i for one will be pleased to see a bigger Tesco in my town. At present we have a smaller one but the big boys co-op are protesting. Its the dearest in town to shop at and i stopped using it a long time ago.I think it will benifit the town more.

[Surfer01]

In our town Stourport Tesco already have a store a bit larger than an Express but want to build a full size store for a town of approximatley 10,000 people. In Kidderminster less than 5 miles way they have a super store so for a samll town like Stourport a large tesco sems pointless except to destroy the town.

There is already a large Co-op there and numerous small stores which will go to the wall once Tesco open. Planning appilcartion was turned down several times and then Tesco offered to build a small by pass. Plans then got approved. On a normal day the town can be grid locked most of the time so what will happen when Tesco get their way is unknown.

[loopylil]

Hi Surfer, well you must be a neighbour. Im born and brought up in Stourport (68yrs) To long its been run by a few family businesses.. Im all for a bigger Tesco and the site is 200 yds from my old family home. Its about time something was done about the grid lock of traffic through the town and if Tesco do manage to build the by pass im sure its going to help.

Bewdley have a by pass so why cant Stourport.

We have tried several times to get something done about the traffic.

I can remember when Mitton Street and Vale road was two way and sometimes i think it was better, although the amount of traffic as grown over the years now.

Edited July 3, 2010 by loopylil
add a bit more

[Surfer01]

It didn't take much to figure out that you lived in Stourport. We used to live in Mitton Street at one time and every weekend the road was gridlocked.

On weekdays between about 4pm and 6pm the roads would come to a standstill and although we lived on the Walshes and could see our house it used to take up to 30 minutes to get home.

On Friday mornings to get into Stourport from the Walshes can take ages as the cars are all backed up the Dunley Road. Heaven forbid that they work on the bridge again. With a superstore 5 miles away I see no need for another large store in Stourport as it will kill the High Street which is already full of charity shops. Charity shops kill the economy in any town as they take but give nothing to the town as workers are normally volunteers so the wheels of the economy sort of grind to a halt.

If we start adding all the extra traffic for the Tesco which is right on the only way into the town, we are going to have a permanent gridlock. Money spoke and the plans got passed.

[loopylil]

Hi Surfer, well well,we must know each other then as i lived in Mitton Street too, from age of 2months until i married.

Yes i agree with what your saying but i still think Tesco will turn up trumps.

Every night even now between 4-30 and 6pm the traffic is busy with everyone going home from work. The back log from the other side of town on a friday i put down to the boot sale on the Dunley Road.

And your right now Stourport is charity town but maybe this is due to the rents/rates that Wyre Forest charge. There have been loads of people trying to run their own business s in town only to give up because of this.

[Surfer01]

If you lived in Mitton Street, then you may have known Tony Penser. he lived like us in the house next to the shop, now a hairdresser in Mitton Street.

[loopylil]

Hi Surfer, i just hope your not sleeping in my bedroom then ha ha.Tony was my middle brother. As you know he passed away a few yrs ago at a youngish age.My grandad owned the shop next door and i think all the row of houses there too.Your back garden reached right down to the Stour at the back one time , no wall there then it was an orchard full of apple tree s and gooseberry bushes.We kept pigs in the pig styes there all gone now but they were happy times.

[Surfer01]

More than likely I have met you in person. We don't live in Mitton Stret any more. We knew Tony for many years before he passed away. One of the last things Tony did for us was to give my wife a number of Rod Stewart recordings. I went to the funeral and the wake later at the Astley Cross. I still have the sheet for the service on that day as he was a good friend. We haven't see his missus in ages, but hope she is alright. Don't want to post names.

[loopylil]

Hi Surfer, I dont see her very often only when she s going shopping over the common! I was closer to my younger brother Nick and we still are close.Clash of personalaties i think you d call it between Tony and me but i still was upset when he died.Yes Tony loved his music a great Johnney Mathis fan but we both loved Queen and i still do.

[zither]

The bar stewards are not planning a Tescos express but an enormous store in our local village. You may beat them off with the first attack to stop them, then there will be a pause of several months, in some cases years before they try again. They ALWAYS seem to win, getting round planning problems and objections. We are awaiting their return with gritted teeth.

[Surfer01]

Zither that is exactly what they did with Stourport. Tesco destroys small towns where there is a lot of community spirit. They never participate in processions or support any community projects.

[Tezcatlipoca]

You see it strikes me that here is a fabulous opportunity for Tesco. They've bought a tiny, and I do mean tiny, scrap of wasteland in an economically depressed area of the city.

Putting a Tesco there is insanity. It's opposite a Spar, next to a Co-Op and 2 minutes from the biggest Sainsbury's in the city. Who do they think their customers are going to be? The same local population that came together to build and enjoy the very garden they're going to rip up!?

 

By keeping the lease on the land and protecting the garden for the benefit of the community, Tesco have a marvelleous opportunity for free and very beneficial publicity. Is it going to happen? Judge for yourselves:

 

I have this morning learned that the JCB and demolition crew left the site untouched after Friday's standoff, only to find a number of protesters had arrived over the weekend and were mounting a peaceful sit-in demonstration this morning.

Tesco's response to this? It seems they predicted this, as they have turned up with a court order and have sent the police in this morning to forcibly evict, and if need be arrest, the protesters.

 

A friend of mine took the following shots on the Friday (including a gorgeously hypocritical quote from our Council leader):

 

ImageShack Album - 5 images

 

Tesco. Every little hurts.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Tezcatlipoca

[Bookworm]

Where I live is a strange place: Built in the middle of nowhere originally to rehouse blitz victims, it is now one of the largest housing estates in Europe, yet has a small but thriving community and "town" centre. It's in the middle of green belt area, yet is 30 mns away from Central London. Used by the council to temporarily rehouse the most urgent cases, it also has a lot of people having bought their council house. It was gifted by quakers, and so has an ancient covenant to how the land is to be used, and as a result has a grand total of TWO pubs (used to be 3) for the whole of the place.

 

This is the background. Now, the 3rd pub, which was falling apart, got sold to Lidl who wanted to build a store and some community housing above the store. Great idea, lots of people need to either travel a fair bit to get reasonably priced food or be held at ransom by the filthy, nasty, over-priced Co-op we have in the centre or Iceland. We used to have a small Tesco's too, but they bailed out about 10 yrs ago when the profits diminished, leaving behind a resentful community which badly needed them there.

 

Forward to now(ish). Mysteriously, Lidl's application gets turned down by the local authority. And again. And again. The site is vacant. This goes on for quite a while until one feels that Lidl will never gain a foothold here, very oddly since there really is a need for it.

 

Suddenly (and fairly simultaneously), Tesco's reappears with grandiose plans for a super, hyper, mega, humungusmarket, slap bang in the middle of our little community centre, dwarfing the little rows of shops, clogging the one and only access to the place forever, wanting to build over the current pool/gym, library, council offices etc, and in return promising to build better pool/gym etc... if they get their way.

 

Despite the huge opposition, the fact that the plan is ludicrous, would ruin whatever cohesion the place has and destroy that sense of small community, not to mention kill our little parade of shops (and the infrastructure simply couldn't cope with the influx!), and the resentment of the local people who still haven't forgiven them for bailing out when they were actually needed, Tesco's sweeps all objections and gets council approval just like that, leaving Lidl (who btw, were NOT going to be in the centre of the town, but on the outskirts) still battling their own refusal.

 

Anyone smells anything fishy there yet? Yep, me too.

 

Anyway... Lidl goes on to higher levels, over the council's head, and surprise, surprise, the inspector finds there is no reason whatsoever to deny their application, and permission to build gets granted. Hooray!

 

It gets better. A local guy went rummaging through the archives, and found THE most beautiful loophole to stop Tesco in their tracks: Part of the land they wanted to build on is in front of the pool and library is grass, a tiny little area with one bench, barely more than a strip of grass and a path. However, according to the covenant abovementioned, that area is designated leisure area, and can NEVER be used for any other purpose!!!

 

Collapse of Goliath. The covenant is untouchable, and Tesco's can go f*** themselves.

 

We now have our Lidl, doing brisk trade day in day out, not impinging upon our lives in any other way than giving us a closer, cheaper way of shopping, whilst Tesco's have spent hundreds of thousands on a project which has hoepfully collapsed without chance of rearing its ugly head, all thanks to one stubborn campaigner, one quaker covenant and a tiny little piece of grass with its bench.

 

Tesco's. That little bit REALLY did help.

[Surfer01]

Bookworm, in Stourport I am quite sure that a few backhanders were passed around for Tesco plans to be approved. The majority of the residents do not want Tesco as they have foresight and know that Tesco will destroy the beauty of the town. We opposed the plans from day one when it became known. Why does a community of 10,000 people all told want a mega superstore on their doorstep when there are only four entry roads into the town?

[Bookworm]

Samer here, Surfer, I live in a place called New Addington (Surrey). If you Google Earth it, you will see that there is ONE main access road, that's all!

 

As for backhanders, well obviously we'll never know, but the blocking of Lidl at council level and passing of Tesco at the same time when there were no reasons always seemed a tad shifty.

[loopylil]

Hi Surfer01, Last count there were 21,437 people living in the dy13 area. Think your abit out with 10,000.

As you know im all for the new Tesco and ive not yet met anyone againest it, including business people.

As for community spirit we lost our identity when we merged with Kidderminster/ Bewdley.What happened to our local paper the Stourport-News. We get the Shuttle, not much said in there about our town.

[Helford]

Oh dear!

 

BBC News - Large fire destroys Hampshire Tesco store

[Tezcatlipoca]

Oh dear!

 

 

 

In light of this thread, I should point out that I do have an alibi for when this fire broke out..