In the first instance I have changed the comment format on this blog so people can respond to comments within the thread. In other words I have made it easier people who comment here to discuss things among themselves.
There are bits of news surfacing today, I think perhaps the most significant being that the Arlington Margate Tesco public enquiry that was to start tomorrow has been postponed. See http://arlingtonmargate.com/2012/03/12/public-inquiry-for-arlington-margate-tesco-postponed/ for a bit more information.
Following on from yesterday’s Richborough towers demolition I though it could be helpful to point people at the website about the redevelopment of this site, see http://www.richboroughenergypark.co.uk/
The picture and newspaper article (London Gazette March 1906) relate to 25 King Street Ramsgate, stuff as they say, happens.
I may ramble on if I have anything to say, I may even do so if I haven’t.
Lets hope tesco never gets built since it will completely stuff up traffic into the town.
ReplyDeleteNote to Michael when I tried this format it logs the comments at the wrong time comment at 18:29 Monday
Peter The last thing I need coming home from work is a traffic jam on the main road into Margate
ReplyDeleteThe whole business of Tesco expanding across the north of Thanet is an interesting one and something I would view with caution. Their actions in Ramsgate, which may have been unintentional, couldn’t have done more damage to the town centre if they had been calculated to. To me it seems that having done as much damage as they can to other retailers by setting up out of town superstores, they are now looking to open smaller stores in towns, which are both in high population areas but not actually within town centre shopping areas.
ReplyDeleteIn the booktrade I have watched a very few large retail companies take us, here in the UK, from having the cheapest and most diverse range of books in the world, that caused a flowering of literature here from about WW1 to about 1985, to a situation where aesthetic judgment on what is good writing is based mainly on profit margins.
Tony I will endeavour to get the date glitch sorted out, and to do this I will need to continue to use this format for a while.
Peter in a general sense when viewing the way large companies change the social structure of our lives it may be as well to consider them parasitic until proven otherwise. Personally I don’t like the damage that has been done to Ramsgate and Margate town centres and so try to avoid giving money to the firms that have caused this damage, to do otherwise would for me be hypocritical.
I'm with Tony. I'd rather get home 10 minutes earlier than give locals more choice or create jobs.
ReplyDeleteWell said.
DeleteI guess the underlying problem here is one of either allowing big business a totally free hand in creating the human environment – towns, villages, housing estates – or operating some sort of local government control or even national government control over the situation.
ReplyDeleteLocal government seems to lack the people with enough aptitude, the money and the power, national government doesn’t seem to even be interested. The same situation seems to have developed slightly earlier in small town America.
Years ago we had a bookshop in Stevenage a new town that operated under the auspices of The New Towns Commission, they had rules governing what activity could take place in each retail unit, so for instance a shop allocated as a bookshop, haberdashery, greengrocer or whatever, had to be just that.
Perhaps they should make humanity a protected species, don’t know really
Let's build a tesco near to Peter just because he can't be arsed to travel any further to get his groceries
ReplyDeleteHe can't drive ... that's the reason for his over zealous support of The Tesco. Surprised he hasn't been more forthcoming with this when defending his stance.
DeleteNot "can't" drive, just "won't" drive...
DeletePersonally I like the amount of choice we have now. Used to have to go to Canterbury for the nearest supermarket and decent shops. Just wish Westwood was more compact and the roads were getting sorted more quickly. The town centres need to adapt with a mix of small local specialist shops, cafes and residential use.
ReplyDeleteOn the question of local government control and national government control - not sure if the Tories would buy that concept and not sure what sort of shops TDC would organise for us.
Don't mean to be a NIMBY but I would like to object to this discussion format. Maybe I need to get used to it..
ReplyDeletePerhaps they should've stopped Woolworths opening shops in Thanet during the 30s. After all that put many independent traders out of business.
ReplyDeleteHow about lobbying Tesco to take over Manston Airport. They could build a vast superstore selling locally sourced produce and also fly stuff in from China: giving Kent and the Far East valuable, well-paid, secure jobs. They could run a local bus service through all the villages Peter mentions, picking up those too lazy to learn to drive. Maybe they could also construct some sort of theme park called Tescoland too. Anyone up for doing their bit for Thanet and giving Tesco a ring?
ReplyDeleteIn twenty years time there would be more Tesco stores than churches in england and Tesco also opens on a sunday.
ReplyDeleteCertainly not a bad thing Tony. Maybe they should start using a few empty churches as supermarkets?
ReplyDeletePeople would object...
ReplyDeleteThere is a Tesco near Bournemouth in a converted church. Probably more around the country. Just worshipping a different God I suppose?
ReplyDeleteLends a new meaning to going up the aisle 10.48, married in the church of Mammon dedicated to St Tesco of the full trolley a truly civil partnership.
Delete