to be furious that tesco want to open a store in looe, cornwall?

[morecoffeepleaseholdthecake]

Just seen this on the news. There are currently no big supermarkets in this lovely cornish town, so Tesco want to build one on the outskirts.

They say, people already do their weekly shop in big supermarkets in other towns, so there is a demand for it.

If this goes ahead, that means this beautiful place will end up with countless empty shops when the local businesses close. They will then be filled with cash converter shops, crappy take aways and endless charity shops.

I think this is absolutely tragic. If somewhere is lucky enough to have got to 2012 without a big supermarket killing taking over the town it should be celebrated!

[DamnBamboo]

Fight it fight it fight it.

Planning for a big Tesco's near where I live was rejected!

Thank god!

Fucking Tescos.

[faeriefruitcake]

I'm sure the residents will do their best to stop it if they don't want it.

Gool Peran Lowen

[MrsBonkers]

They announced this morning that they are creating 20,000 new jobs this year. Some of those will have to be created from new stores.

[DamnBamboo]

20,000 new jobs! So they say. Didn't they say something similar not too long ago? They are trying to claw their way out of the pit of unpopularity they are falling into
Most of those jobs will be part time with crap wages. You'll get more hours if you do overtime, but of course you will get less in the way of statutory holidays etc... because your contract says you're only meant to work 16-20 hours a week.

They are corporate cunts and I will never spend another penny of my money in their shops again.

I won't even try to profiteer from their sliding shares either.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

They won here. We were the last postcode in mainland Britain without a big Tesco, and obviously this irked them. They paid the council £1.5 million.

The first shop has closed already (local newsagent) - and they haven't even built the place yet.

Thing is, people will shop there. Otherwise they wouldn't waste money building it.

[DamnBamboo]

Anyway, most of the jobs they create aren't in addition to existing jobs, they end up replacing jobs that are lost because other smaller, independent businesses can't compete.

Don't kid yourself thinking they're thinking of the proleteriat, they're fucking well not.

[IvanaHumpalot]

Just remember: every little helps - their profits

[morecoffeepleaseholdthecake]

God endo, that's awful. :(

Exactly damn, people will shop there, businesses will close, the jobs they create will replace the jobs currently being held by local shops and their staff.

I am furious. Looe is a lovely place, part of the charm us that there is no bloody supermarket, you use local businesses, try different things.

[FlossieTeacakeShouldFakeIt]

The reason Tesco make so much in profit is because people use them. They are convenient and relatively cheap, they must be fairly certain that people will use it because they want to.

You can't blame a newsagent closing on a store that hasn't even opened yet

It is very sad for indepeandant shops, but we have just had a new Little Tesco (express, I think) open up nearby, I've been in there twice and it was packed with customers.

[somedayma]

um, if the whole town is against it, it won't succeed. but I think you'll find people do use it. so...yabu for thinking it shouldn't be there just because it's inconvenient for YOU

[CaoNiMa]

"The first shop has closed already (local newsagent) - and they haven't even built the place yet."

If it's not even built yet, it's doubtful that this was the reason the newsagent closed. It's not as if the newsagent's customers would have been going to the Tesco, so that's odd reasoning.

Tesco is still awful though.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

YABU... Everywhere else in the country people have the opportunity to shop 24/7 and get everything they need under one roof. Why should Looe stay in the Dark Ages? Local shopkeepers will simply have to raise their game to keep their customers and offer something Tesco can't e.g. high quality and personal service. If the whole population object to the planning permission, fair enough. But I doubt they will.

[SpacegirlRevisited]

YANBU

Here in Newquay we are about to get our second Tesco and a third is on its way when the plan are approved and its completely unneccesary.

We have a really good selection of small shops and I imagine they will all disappear once the new Tescos open. Totally agree with the 'use it or lose it' attitude and I make every effort to use local businesses where possible but I fear that for a lot of people this might not be the case.

[CailinDana]

YANBU and a snob. Plenty of people simply can't afford or don't have the time to trawl around independent shops. Tesco is successful because they provide a service people need and are willing to pay for. If people genuinely wanted the smaller shops then they would shop there and keep them open.

[CailinDana]

Sorry that should be YABU.

[ComposHat]

It might be convenient for everyday essentials.

Imagine how bad it would be if you got stuck in Looe without a newspaper.

(cymbal crash)

(takes coat and leaves)

[GavisconJunkie]

YABU. Tesco will only survive if it's used, they of all companies will not run at a loss just to piss the -tourists & distant cornish- dear people of Looe off. Tbh Looe isn't so bloody special that a Tesco would ruin it. Also, think of how hard it must be to battle through the grockle traffic to the next nearest supermarket in the summer?

Also, having encountered plenty of the residents of Looe in my previous job, there are enough bloody nutters with shotguns & unstable minds, that Tesco won't be given an easy ride, if that helps you feel better.

HTH

Would waitrose be ok?

[Hairytoes]

How many shops will be replaced do you think?
Looe is already full of crappy takeaways, shops selling tat and restaurants. There really aren't many businesses it would shut. What ones do you think would be affected? Not the pasty shops, because locals and holidaymakers alike will always make sure there is a demand for them.
So you are left with a tiny superrmarket in the town, and a couple of Spar shops.
It will create far more jobs than it takes away, will save the locals loads of money in petrol. A no brainer IMO.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

For those who thought I was being daft to blame Tesco for shop closing when Tesco hasn't even been built yet:

www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/harrogate-knaresborough-nidderdale/tesco_claims_first_casualty_as_shutters_close_in_jennyfield_1_4206921

[eatyouwithaspoon]

There are whispers about planning for 100's of houses and a Tescos in Fowey too on an area of outstanding natural beauty, madness!

[SoupDragon]

That newsagent closed because of his perception of the threat.

[Pooka]

Tesco in padstow has I think meant most of the old food shops if not all have gone over the last 10 years or so.

There used to be a grocer's shop called Buckinghams. Also fruit/veg and I believe butchery too. And newsagents. What you're left with in padstow itself is a spar and that's that. Quite hard to buy a newspaper.

I think that the remodelling ofnthe town into chi chi shopping place/theme harbour correlates with tesco coming. In some ways there's more money washing around but bottom line is that if you live at top of padstow I would imagine that you'd avoid the harbour/town like the plague in summer because there's no reason to venture down the hill into the town because no food shops.

[Deafworm]

Op just for clarity do you actually live in looe?

I live in another town like that and our nearest reasonably priced shops are over an hour away, the residents were keen but our paper was inundated by letters from tourists telling us to object as it would spoil the town for them.

I do my food shopping in the lidl we (fortunately) have here but for a lot of the extra silly things we need, uniform, birthday presents, all sorts really we have to travel, on top of our day to day life (dh job is shifts so we don't necessarily get free weekends) we have to find at least 3 hours to go to another town for things we need. I suppose in fairness looe may not be as remote as we are.

In the end another supermarket won as two were fighting it out and clothes wise I prefer them, bits wise I don't food wise I will stick with lidl. Our town is full of tourist shops not aimed at people who live here, they won't shut due to a supermarket but life will get easier for the residents.

[Pooka]

And much of the money goes to national companies a la white stuff and j crew.

As a tourist, it's not the same - used to go into padstow with grandmother to the food shops and shed put orders on account and stuff.now I deliberately don't go to the tesco because it's crap. Try and shop in st merryn but top up with online shop from sainsburys in bodmin.

I love shopping in padstow but it does feel very sad - fantastic old book shop closed recently. Hardly any local retailers now.

[FlossieTeacakeShouldFakeIt]

That article still makes it daft to blame Tesco for a shop closing before it has even been built.

You could choose to blame the landlord for wanting the owner to commit to a longer lease, you could blame the customers for not using it enough, and you don't know what else is goin on in that shop owners life that has also contributed to the descison to close. Tesco is just an easy target for a scapegoat.