Thursday 6 June 2013

Morrisons Supermarket to open in Ramsgate

Morrisons supermarkets have made a licensing application for the old Blockbuster building in King Street Ramsgate.

This is particularly good news for me as my bookshop is in King Street in Ramsgate and I have to admit I did wonder what would happen to that huge empty shop.

Being lazy today, my day off, I thought I would stop at a large out of town supermarket and buy the Coca Cola, the children drink quite a bit of this and it is heavy to carry back from the town.


This idea all went a bit pear shaped as if bought I large bottles it worked out at £1 per litre, I have just augmented my street credibility by waking down King Street with a shopping trolley to Iceland where I bought it 12 litres for £6, i.e. 50p per litre.




83 comments:

  1. When will the campaign and protests be startimg against Morrisons?

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    1. Not sure how a Morrisons protestor starms John, would this be something to do with morris dancing, but I don’t see any planning or licensing issues here in King Street, it would already be noisy and lively for much longer hours than they would trade.

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    2. I object to the opening of a Van Morrisons in Kings Street er.. this is no time to quibble but where is King Street?

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    3. I see you have joined the Nimby/occutard alliance Mr Holyer, well done, you have made them not quite such a minority pain in the butt :-)

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  2. Assuming it will be a M local store you can look forward to opening hours of 7am to 11pm 7 days a week. Hope the customers don't make too much noise.

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  3. I think it's great news for Ramsgate. Can't see there being any complaints. Ramsgate folk are a sensible bunch and they only complain when there's good reason. Let's face it. If the council had listened to Ramsgate folk in relation to Manston, the port access road, running the port or dealing with SFP most (if not all) of the current problems could have been avoided.

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    1. Anonymous 8:14 pm,

      You intrigue me for I recall nothing of this. Please remind me what was the nature of the advice that the Ramsgate folk gave to the council?

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    2. If i remember correctly, there were/are protests against the port access road, the port, Manston, China gateway, Thanet earth etc etc etc

      So when anon 8:14 says

      " If the council had listened to Ramsgate folk.....most (if not all) of the current problems could have been avoided"

      Presumably he means that none of the listed items would now exist and therefore would not be a problem....

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    3. Are you truly so ignorant of local affairs that you cannot remember the protests against each of the above and the thousands of letters of protest sent to the council? Or are you just one of the councillors who doesn't listen irrespective of what arguements are put forward?

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    4. anonymous 8:22,

      What you say is interesting. Can you please give me chapter and verse of these protests?

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    5. Oh I remember the protests anon 8:22, letters, whining, whinging etc etc etc for EVERY advance that has been made in Thanet, and every one that has been thwarted by the mindless tiny minority of nimbys that have cost Thanet SO dear!

      As I said, if they had had their way, the port would never have been build, neither would the access road, no doubt the pegwell hoverport would never seen the light of day, alongside Manston, Thanet Earth and China gateway!

      Sweep the nimbys away before it's to late, and lets pull together to give Thanet a FUTURE not a sadl collection of dullards trying to live in the 50's!

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    6. Dear Mr. Holyer,

      I have no intention of trawling my archive to give you "chapter and verse" on these protests. It isn't that I wouldn't want to educate you on local matters. It's just that I have other things to do which are a higher priority for me. Anyone who has lived here for any length of time knows about the arguments which took place If you are interested you will find much of the history set out in the archived editions of the local press. You will find that the Isle of Thanet Gazette used to be a proper newspaper with journalists who investigated stories and didn't just print council press releases. You will also find that protesters were given a more sympathetic hearing, especially in the letters pages.

      If you are genuinely interested and do decide to research these things further it will lead you to reflect (as I have done) on the value of blog sites such as this one. These blogs have replaced newspapers as an archive for historians. In 50-100 years time historians will be trawling Michael's blog to find out what people thought about their council in the early part of the century. They will conclude that the council was a disaster.

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    7. Anon 9:01 am,

      Thank you for your reply albeit ill mannered and a touch pompous. I am led to the conclusion that these events of which you speak are not clear in your head.

      I will detain a busy man no longer and leave you to your higher priorities.

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    8. Indeed Anon 10:23, pathetic decribes nicely the nimby's that have infected Thanet for FAR to long, and indeed your posts, in which it seems you seem to prove just have much damage have been done by those same nimbys.

      They shoukd be marginalised once and for all so that Thanet can FINALLY progress!

      Delete
    9. Anonymous 10:23,

      It is amazing just how certain you are that you are always right. And that truly is pathetic, literally.

      Delete
  4. Great news. Anything to help revitalise King Street and increase footfall should be welcomed.

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  5. bound to be a nimby or two to say no its progress we cant have it here what next tesco in harbour street

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  6. My first job was with Morrisons in Yorkshire. As part of the initiation rights for new employees I was tossed into the cardboard bailing machine

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    Replies
    1. Rites Ian. Tossed into the bailing machine eh. Is that anything like in my rugby playing days when coach told the St John nurse to massage me ready to pull me off at half time.

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  8. It may not be great news if you have a shop that sell things that Morrisons will sell cheaper - newsagents, off licence, convenience food, even a florist and fish monger.

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  9. Very good point 11:32 - supermarkets always undercut the local shops for at least the first few months of opening, drive them out of business and start to adjust prices upwards.

    King St may actually get worse with the newsagent, butcher, sandwich shops etc closing. Mind you the noise of music pumped outside from Tonis News is too much.

    With the Airbus training flights at Manston it may be a noisy summer with very little economic benefit for the town if not actually making things worse.

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    Replies
    1. The NIMBYs said the same thing here in Westbrook when Tesco opened, but over a year later NO shops have shut, and instead a few more have opened! Another good thing is that the other shops have had to up their game to compete (Spar opens at 8am instead of 9am, the former post office has lots more special offers outside or in their window). So when shopping areas are run down (as Westbrook was & King Street is) then these can often be the catalyst to revive them.

      Besides, they can always become book shops. I'm sure Michael won't mind... ; )

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    2. Major multiples generate footfall. A GOOD business will find a way to capitalise on that business, a poor business will whine about how unfair life is, and take the easy way out, closing without trying to reap the rewards of the footfall generated.

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  10. I think you may have missed the point here, the closest food shop to them will be Iceland, which is one of the cheapest food multiples and they don’t seem to have closed down the butchers and greengrocers that are close to them.

    I would say that if it is price that is the primary factor, then food shopping in Ramsgate is already cheaper than food shopping out of town.

    As for bookshop competition, my main consideration is keeping my prices on a par with the internet, which is probably why I am still trading, I would say that if you read a fair amount then using my bookshop, including the exchange scheme, in conjunction with the internet is going to be the most economic approach.

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  11. Iceland is frozen food so little competition with a greengrocer. Morrisons will be competition for all of them. including you with its newsstand/books. With DDay upon us I can see Michael defending his junkshop from waves of chavs kicking in his windows, replaced by waves of Morrisons shoppers clutching their new Stephen King novels. With less cash for the secondhand version of that or other books.

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    Replies
    1. You obviously haven't been to Iceland recently...

      http://www.iceland.co.uk/our-food/fresh-fruit-and-veg

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    2. Difficult one here Peter, I don’t think anon has been anywhere much or read this post in which I said the Coca Cola was half the price in Iceland than I could buy it in the put of town supermarkets.

      I guess the situation at the moment is that there is a very lager proportion of the population suffering financial pressure at the moment, shopping around makes a huge difference to what you pay for things.

      Frankly around three years ago we passed a marker where it became cheaper to do the family food shopping in Ramsgate, using a mixture of the town’s food shops, than using one large supermarket. Since then the differential seems to have got much larger, buying a Stephen King unless it has just come out, I guess we will be one of the cheaper options.

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    3. I generally find it suits me fine to do the majority of my shopping in one or two places (weekly shopping in Margate Morrisons, the occasional bits & pieces in Westbrook Tesco)... though having said that I do buy most of my fruit in the excellent greengrocers in Birchington (a 6 mile round trip on my bicycle!). Probably a bit different for you though Michael as I only shop for one.

      I actually find when just nipping to my local shops for a snack that I now eat far more healthily due to Tesco, as prior to this it has been impossible to buy fresh fruit & veg in Westbrook for several years apart from the odd limp lettuce or dried up oranges in the corner shops. The closest proper greengrocers to me now is in Westgate, as all 3 Margate greengrocers have closed down in recent years (one of them sells pies instead!).

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    4. Peter, my apologies. It has been years since I last shopped in Iceland.

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    5. Very different story in Ramsgate Peter, shopping around between the various greengrocers, butchers, market and supermarkets really does bring the cost down to much less than it would be just using a couple of supermarkets.

      We use Aldi, Iceland, Asda and Waitrose in Ramsgate as well as the independents butchers, bakers and green grocers and do most of it on foot which saves on petrol.

      Although we have just lost our fishmonger another is in the process of opening.

      I try to avoid Tesco because of the damage they did to the town both by opening a substantial supermarket and then by closing it, same with M&S, it may sound a bit silly but supporting companies that have done considerable damage to the town I live in goes against the grain.

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    6. When I moved to Westbrook in 1999 we had a fishmongers, a greengrocers, a bakers & a post office (and the bank had just closed), now we have none of them, with the majority disappearing prior to Westwood Cross opening. So the small Tesco has at least brought back most of the stuff that we had to go out of town for over the past few years.

      I spent most of the 90s in Herne Bay, but prior to that I lived (& worked) in Garlinge from 1987 to 1990, back when Garlinge High Street had 3 supermarkets, two greengrocers, a large hardware / electrical goods store, a butchers & a post office amongst many other shops. Now they're ALL gone. This saddens me even more than the decline of our larger high streets (nearby villages such as Manston, Acol & Woodnesborough don't have ANY shops now).

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    7. I have to laugh when I see comments such as "I try to avoid Tesco (or any large supermarket) because of the damage they did to the town both by opening a substantial supermarket"

      In all my years I have NEVER seen anyone dragged into a large supermarket kicking and screaming against their will. People CHOOSE to make price their main motivation behind their shopping choices. You even admit that yourself Michael "shopping around between the various greengrocers, butchers, market and supermarkets really does bring the cost down to much less than it would be just using a couple of supermarkets" and then go on to describe how you yourself use 4 major supermarkets that also could be accused of killing "local businesses".

      People choosing price as their number 1 shopping choice closes local businesses, Tesco or any of the rest of the big 4 have NEVER "forced" anyone out of business or killed any High Street, ONLY peoples shopping choices can ever do that.

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    8. I have to say anon 5:27, I can and often do spend over an hour looking through Michaels stock, I have spent may £100's in there over the years, if you refer to it as a junk shop, I fear that is more a comment on your lack of recognition of good reading matter, or simply an indication that you are not able to make use of such material.

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    9. Anon 5:27 pm

      Wow - there is real ugly spite in your remarks about Michael's bookshop. Permit me to help you. Keep quiet, go away, brush up on your reading including the long words and then you may be able to appreciate Michael's range of titles.

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    10. Holyer and Hamilton (who aren't as funny) http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0_ynVlwAg9U/STtAjIPyV8I/AAAAAAAAF84/hATKI3N4D38/s1600-h/3muppets.jpg

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    11. Anon, I enjoy Hamilton and Holyer whereas you are just a sad whinger.

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    12. Well, anonymouse 10:39, reading your post people can't say that you have absolutely nothing. After all, you have inferiority.

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    13. Bless you anon 10:39, good taste prevents me linking to your likeness, suffice to say, people really should pick up after their pets!

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  12. What do you mean? Have Hamilton and Holyer stopped posting?

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    1. anonymouse 4:39 pm,

      You should toss out more of your funny remarks - that's all they're good for.

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    2. at least blogging on here is reasonably polite unlike one of the commenters own blog which is full of hate, so sad to see.

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    3. Perhaps you could post something worth reading James, that would indeed be a first, so sad to see you constantly humiliate yourself.

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    4. Haver you ever posted anything worth reading John? If you have, I haven't seen it.

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    5. Worth reading anon 5:47, yep every post, worth reading that you are bright enough to understand, sadly not.

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  13. John will be posting on the subject of his evidence for what SFP Ventures have done right.

    He has made much of announcing there is no evidence they did anything wrong.

    His turn to produce evidence.

    Then to the question of whether doing nothing is a contractual option.

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    Replies
    1. Just read Hamilton's last post, spelling mistakes again. Must be the wet stuff taking over the brains actions.

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    2. Anonymouse 5:59 pm,

      You really do not understand do you. Your reasoning is so confused and lumbering that It would take you five minutes to boil a three minute egg. All your good for is sneering at passers by from behind the net curtains of your jumbled mind. You are terminally thick. You are so stupid that you would get hit by a parked car.

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    3. My "turn" to produce evidence? That would suggest anon 5:59 that someone else has posted "evidence" to the contrary, and as that clearly isn't the case, it's not clear how it is now my "turn". Perhaps ask one of those posting the evidence less inuendo to post their evidence would be a good place to start, they clearly have none, or they would have posted it sometime ago.

      I await the evidence of wrongdoing, but I already know none will be forthcoming.

      Oh Tony, bless, is a spelling critique all you have, bless, you're even more witless than the rest of the FORS membership.

      Well said Mr Holyer, keep them coming, I am using your remarks in real life now lol, "You are so stupid that you would get hit by a parked car" now that's funny!

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    4. Here we go, John Holyer jumping to John Hamilton's defence again! They're obviously either the same person or lovers.

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    5. Think you'll find that we both simply share the same, correct point of view Anon 10:31, but i realise you only see the world in VERY simplistic terms ;)

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    6. Well you'll both be able to marry soon.

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    7. Not sure about Mr Holyer's marraige status Anon 11:14, but I suspect that my mrs may have something to say about that, and as far as I know, bigamy is still a crime in the UK. Seems you are yet again somewhat wide of the mark ;)

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    8. Anonymouse 10:31 & 11:14,

      Your remarks are nothing more than the out pouring of the disgusting little creep that you are. Your IQ is lower than a snakes belly. It is pointless to debate with you. You are so stupid that you cannot be trusted with an idea.

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  14. What do all these petty squabbles have to do with a Morrisons opening in Ramsgate?

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    1. I don't know Peter - what do they have to do with the opening of a Morrison's in Ramsgate?
      Though I would not describe the events between TDC and SFP as a petty squabble.

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    2. I'm talking about the petty squabbling amongst bloggers!

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    3. Yes, Peter, I did grasp your meaning. You of course know about this bearing in mind that you've had squabbles with bloggers in your time. It is for you to reflect upon whether or not they were petty.

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    4. Seems to many I am the most important thing in their lives Peter. They have so little going on in their lives, the trials and tribulations of someone they will never meet, except online is the most exiting thing in their tragic little lives, and comment from anonomous accounts.

      I genuinely pity them.

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    5. Thank you, Peter. I am glad I'm not alone in being fed up with blogs being taken over by John Hamilton's rudeness and John Holyer's impression of a working class Oscar Wilde.

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    6. Anonymouse 7:38 pm

      Please explain you comment about about Oscar Wilde. Are you using Oscar Wilde as an insult, or working class as an insult, or both?

      You brain should be suing for neglect. What you lack in intelligence, you more than make up for in stupidity.

      Still I'm glad that you mentioned me. There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked. Oscar Wilde said that. You are a buffoon, I said that.

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    7. Anonymouse 7:38 pm

      Please explain your comment about about Oscar Wilde. Are you using Oscar Wilde as an insult, or working class as an insult, or both?

      You brain should be suing for neglect. But what you lack in intelligence, you more than make up for in stupidity.

      Still I'm glad that you mentioned me. There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. Oscar Wilde said that. You are a buffoon, I said that.

      This a correction for my post above where I misquoted Oscar Wilde by omitting the word 'about'.

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    8. Is it senility or is it sheer nastiness that leads you to post your abuse twice? The two JH's remind me of Harry Enfield's characters, the Old Gits - two miserable old tw*ts ranting at the world around them and everyone in it.

      Delete
    9. Anonymouse 2:10 pm,

      If you had read my second post you would have discovered that its purpose was to correct a typographical error in my first post. You clown.

      I know that you enjoy being obnoxious just for the sake of it. I can picture you drooling as you plan your venomous attacks on all around you.

      Please discuss this trait of yours with your carer.

      Delete
  15. Well, Pleasurama is closed so that's a good thing. What will replace it and when and who should be fired?

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    1. At least fired makes a change from arrested for a non-criminaL offence!

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    2. Criminal/noncriminal offences are what the judge declares - misuse of pubic office is a bit vague for example but meant to root out corrupt civil servants and councillors as at TDC!

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    3. Wrong, 10;31, judges can only make judgements on criminality after jury trial and following the preferring of charges by the CPS. Many of the things you claim as criminal are not like, for example, Chinagate bungs, where a donation was made to Thanet Labour, duly declared and entered in their books. No crime. Similiarly the waving of airport fines or berthing fees are within the remit of the council and not criminal. If no crime is evident it will not be investigated, will not reach the CPS and no judge will ever make a ruling on it.

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    4. What waiving of airport fines?

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  16. It seems to be a unique Thanet pass time to post all sorts of claims and inuendo's, without the slightest shred of evidence. Never seen anything like it in anywhere else I have ever lived.

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    1. Hamilton, set you the bait and you bit it straight away. I wonder if you are as obnoxious and arrogant in life, as you are in your posts.

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    2. It's hard not to be arrogant in the presencr of peons such as you Tony :-)

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    3. JH you will find the "e" just to the left of the "r"

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    4. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Oh Toni, yor speeling ctrique proovees that you reelly ave noting hat hall HAHAHAHAHAHAHA keep em comeing boy ;)

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  17. Could someone please tell me what the problem is if Morrisons comes to Ramsgate? I don't have a problem. I think it'll be great.

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  18. Moonshine Billy sums up the problem eloquently with a note on their door: local businesses put out of business, minimum wage jobs, and another booze outlet trading late, and requests planning permission be refused. SOunds sensible to me.

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  19. empty shops into reused shops. win. jobs created - loads. is this a good thing to me - yes. case closed. another positive story for Thanet!!!

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  20. How childish some of these comments. I think a Morrison's Local is a good thing for King Street. Iceland will hold their own and so will the butcher's and others. At the end of the day Morrison's Local is equal to Sainsbury's Local and Tesco Express, it won't be somewhere you do a full shop just the odd top up. It's good for King Street and better than Blockbuster was. It will bring footfall to that street and let's face it Ramsgate is dying on it's feet. I am from Deal and hate to say it but Deal is now better than Ramsgate for shopping if anyone wants to relocate their bookshop to Deal. At least Deal has Marks and Spencer, which you did have until November 1990. If we get a Waitrose and Pizza Express I would never need set foot again in Ramsgate although with closures of JD Sports, DP and Burton and River Island, Clinton Cards, Vodafone and Game there isn't much to attract me to Ramsgate now anyway.

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Comments, since I started writing this blog in 2007 the way the internet works has changed a lot, comments and dialogue here were once viable in an open and anonymous sense. Now if you comment here I will only allow the comment if it seems to make sense and be related to what the post is about. I link the majority of my posts to the main local Facebook groups and to my Facebook account, “Michael Child” I guess the main Ramsgate Facebook group is We Love Ramsgate. For the most part the comments and dialogue related to the posts here goes on there. As for the rest of it, well this blog handles images better than Facebook, which is why I don’t post directly to my Facebook account, although if I take a lot of photos I am so lazy that I paste them directly from my camera card to my bookshop website and put a link on this blog.