General Discussion
Work starts on the new Sainsburys next week, due to finish in September. Could this coincide with the death of the town centre when the Strand is pedestrianised
If the Strand is going to be pedesrrianised thats good news..look how nice it is to walk round Newton Abbot, far better for shopping ...cars get so on your nerves! I'm amazed those who can walk dont walk anywhere!
Sainsburys wont effect Dawlish as Ive said before, locals will probably not use the store or like it for some reason or other lol , if they do that will then be a first!..the business for Sainsburys will be from outside of Dawlish and tourists who will not judge..
Logistically Newton Abbot and Teignmouth are different to Dawlish. We have one main shopping street, if you pedestrianise where are people going to park to walk down the strand to shop? Dont say leave cars at home because in Dawlish its not everybody that can walk everywhere, where are the disabled going to park and shop. I could understand Brunswick being pedestrianised but not the Strand, will be easier to go out of town if that happens RIP
Sainsburys wont effect Dawlish
Best joke ever or are you that blinkered you cant see further than your nose?
A good shopping facility in Dawlish at last. Brilliant news; won't have to travel to Exeter to shop at sensible prices. Can't wait.
As Sainsbury's actually getting around to starting work at Shutterton Bridge would be such an event I would have thought it would have had coverage in the local newspapers. But try as I might I can't find anything.
Has Sainsbury's actually confirmed that building work will commence shortly? And if so, to whom?
As a guess ..they would not report on it for fear of loss of advertising from exixting shops. Have seen this happen with when a new shop has opened in a town in a another area. You are right though they should report on it, another reason why I dont buy a paper!
We aren't talking about the opening of a new, small independent shop are we. We are talking about the building of a new, large supermarket about which there has been a lot of controversy, so actually I think the local papers would report on it if they could get confirmation from Sainsbury's that the comments made at the opening of this thread are true.
I was trying to say .. I wonder if the paper feels it would upset the local traders and their existing advertisers if they are seen to promote the store. Lets hope they get it built soon.
Speaking to a friend tonight he told me Sainsbury's are starting their building next week, they are focusing on the car park first, the information came from one of the surveyors at the site. He also said that Tesco's have pulled out.
Will all the local supporters of Sainsbury's be leaving town when their dreams of cheap food, cheap petrol and hundreds of highly paid jobs fail to happen? Sainsbury's is only the start, wait for the hundreds of new houses to be built from the warren to Exeter Road and the loss of all the green fields.When your stuck in the traffic queue from the new roundabout to town think how much easier it was to get petrol and groceries when you had a choice. Hope you are all proud of what you have supported when you walk up the new strand and only manage to get a cup of coffee, here at least you will have a choice of cafe but still nowhere to park your car. Thanks for voting to finish the town and your local traders once and for all.
p.s. day one of construction and allready half the road is closed with traffic lights. Thanks again those in favour.
Oh you and your 'doom and gloom'.. its time Dawlish had a proper store..
The Strand is clear of people right now and Sainsburys is not even open!!!, nobody around because there are NO holiday people! ..so very little trade.....now do get a grip!
As I understand the situation, whether or not Dawlish needs a new supermarket was something that was established some years back via a survery commissioned by Teignbridge District Council. Now, whether or not the methodology used in that survey was water-tight might be a subject of debate but nontheless it gave TDC the answer I strongly suspect it was looking for. Perhaps at that time it was thinking it might have land in Dawlish that it could sell so that a supermarket could build on it?
I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the town council and the chamber of trade were in support of Dawlish having a new supermarket.
Yes, the supermarket will create jobs but not highly paid ones and yes I also believe it will hasten the demise of what is left of the independent traders in the town (and also at the Warren and along Exeter Road by Marine Garage). Perhaps those traders who end up losing their businesses will find new jobs with the new supermarket?!
I agree with Fronteraman about the hundreds of new houses and traffic problems. Planning permission has already been granted for new houses to be built in the very same part of Dawlish as the new store is being built and the new house building at the Warren has already commenced.
Dawlish and its town centre will need to re-invent and re-brand itself.
Its ironic really but the very same people who think Dawlish needs a supermarket will be the first to complain when they find out just how expensive shopping at Sainsbury's really is. No doubt they will then be asking for Aldi or Lidl to come and build a store in town. Perhaps you should have gone for the Tesco option at Lady's Mile. This development will in no way benifit the ordinary people of Dawlish there is a hidden agenda and it is just a part of the bigger picture. This is not doom and gloom but fact. No major retailer supports the building or opening of a store in an area with a population of less than 30 thousand, why do you think we dont have a Mcdonalds or KFC the current population of Dawlish is around 13 thousand, so draw your own conclusions about what the real plan consists of. The current land owners in and around the area and the Warren will all eventually sell out to the developers and Dawlish will become the Exeter overspill for housing with no holiday trade and not much else. The town centre will be a no go area cut off from the road network with no parking and nothing to do only sit and watch the brook whillst drinking your £3.00 costa type coffee. Enjoy
fronterman, I agree with 99% of what you say, Ive felt for a long time this was the agenda.Been saying to my family for a long time that we would at some point in the future become a suburb of Exeter, where I escaped from!!!! Ive also realised over the last few years with the supermarket debate that the plan was to close the town to traffic and therefore close local traders down and become a part time cafe culture, which was why I started this thread with the death of the town in script and you are the only one who picked up on it
PJD. Thanks for that its good to know that someone else in town has their eyes open and can see beyond the weekly shopping. If you know who I'am in real life you will also know that I was like yourself not born and bred in Dawlish, however you will also know that I'm not just going to sit back and let this happen to such a lovely town. The fight will start in May with the local council elections. If you are of similar mind and feel something needs to be done to stop Dawlish becoming one of Exeters housing estates please get it touch outside of this forum.
Whether Tesco at Lady's Mile or Sainsbury's at Shutterton Bridge the effect on the local independent shops would have been exactly the same - negative.
I understand that in Teignmouth, Morrison's are likely to build an even larger supermarket than the Sainsbury one at Shutterton Bridge.
Forget the supermarket and look at the bigger picture and the hidden agenda behind it all. Several years ago Somerfield were refused permission to build where Sainsburys is going, different councillors then and Alan Connett was not in charge
I really am thinking that by all the posts Dawlish people hate everything!,. Tourists, Seagulls, New houses, and now its Sainsburys,...I see even sitting by the Brook seems a sad thing to do! ...
Surely you have to ask yourself why do businessess avoid Dawlish like the plague? ...Barclays Bank and HSBC left in the last 10 years. Could it posibly be the people and their negativity?
So why do other towns in Devon flourish?
How would you feel if the railway was forced to go inland and Dawlish had no train? I would imagine people would object in 2011 if it was to be bulid here.. (Okehampton want the train back so send it that way.to Pllymouth).
You DONT want new houses built.... but you DONT want the town to die!
and you wonder why the town is where its at!
Apart from the Coop which I have never seen a good word for, what other shop in the Strand is worried? Veg has always been cheaper in small shops than supermarkets. People must decide, if they dont shop around they will never know.
What on earth do you like about Dawlish...anything at all?
Its a good thing we have the sea ..where would the town be without it!
I wouldnt agree totaly with whats been discussed as Sainsburys have been trying to get a store of some form or another in Dawlish since the very early 1980's, long before new housing was on the agenda of the government.
They tried to buy out the majority of the Industrial estate at the time, but as owners where reluctant to sell their plot incase neighbouring owners decided not to sell up and push for a higher price for their land, or the deal falling though and then being left with no land to work from, it ended up with no-one selling.
The councills dont want to close Dawlish town centre down as such, they are just trying to make things easier in the long run for their larger plan new housing estates, like shutting Secmaton Lane, that wasnt done in the interest of road safety, that was done to assist the new housing development which would have the added bonus of the new road layout that it will eventualy bring.
Remarks where made at the local Industrial groups meeting one year that once the new supermarket was built, the rural/farm land between that and Dawlish Warren would soon become built upon.
" Theres no plan for that!" the jerk from the council said......" Atleast not in phase one anyway."
Its on the way, its not a case of if, just when.
@wondering "what other shop in the strand is worried".
Well, my honest answer is I don't know as I haven't asked any of them. However, if I were, say, a florist, a baker, a butcher, a greengrocer, a garden shop owner, a toy shop owner, a card shop owner, or a souvenir shop owner for example, I think I might well be worried that my takings would fall once the supermarket opens as no doubt the supermarket will sell what I already do. Plus - at the moment both residents and tourists use the shops on Exeter Road and in the town to do 'top-up' shopping. Once the new supermarket opens where will a lot of that 'top-up' shopping go? I think we can make a good guess.
If the railway was forced to go inland I would be one of the first to protest about it. Trouble is I don't think rising sea levels would take much notice of my protests! But you are right I am sure people would protest if we did not have a railway but now it was proprosed that we should do. I often say that if Brunel tried to build it now he wouldn't stand a chance in wotsit.
New houses being built doesn't necessarily mean that the town centre will flourish. The new houses are to be built very near the new supermarket. So where do you think the residents will do their shopping? Where do you think they will work? Don't have a problem with new houses per se - not least because wherever any of us live right now that land once upon a time did not have a house/flat built on it, did it? And we all need somewhere to live.
So.......just saying that given what looks like is happening in terms of new development and expanding population, Dawlish and its town centre may need to re-invent and re-brand in order to flourish. Whether or not that means the pedestrianisation of the strand and £3.00 a go for a cup of coffee only time will tell.
@wondering i actually like shopping in the coop and the smaller shops and want to continue doing so, but also agree that we need something bigger nearby to stop the footfall to newton abbot and exeter. its also good for the holiday season as coop cant cope its not big enough, incidently nobody had a good word about somerfield neither. as regards housing we do need new housing but the right type affordable and social for local people who are charged astronomical rents and deposits. as for the brook nothing wrong with sitting on the lawn watching the wildfowl do it myself but leave the strand as it is!!!!!! i know you hate cars but to many in this town they are a neccessity, and if you ban cars from the strand you will kill it off. if brunswick as far as the theatre was car free that i feel would be ideal less impact, with access for the undertakers excempted, gays and the mill could have pavement cafe and brunnie could overspill as well
Thanks Lynne ..and PJD yes you are right they didnt like Somerfield.
You know I popped into Kingsteighton Tesco other week and spotted the Hovis bread...10p MORE than what I pay for same in Costcutters Dawlish..see just shows because its Tesco doent mean its always cheap... you have to hand it to them and their 'clever' marketing adverts!
.
On reflection on the above topic, and if Sainsbury's will be the end of Dawlish town centre, I would have to agree with Lynne, Dawlish needs to reinvent itself......so what does Dawlish have to offer to date?
1. 10 pubs
2. 5 charity shops with another on the way!
3. 2 betting shops
4. 3 pharmacies
5. 1 supermarket
6. 1 butcher
the list goes on..... so in my opinion Dawlish needs investment and variety not only to cater for local people but also for visitors as well, at present in my view it does not provide that hence the reason people shop out of town, with regards to Sainsbury's I cannot wait it will provide some healthy competition for traders in the town especially the co-op and others which seem to monopolise the town in the tourist season by raising their prices and they wonder why people shop else ware, I also agree with fronteraman it is the thin end of the wedge with regards to development for dawlish,if only dawlish had somthing to attract and keep people in the town then we would not need sainsburys or tescos, i suppose only time will tell what the future will hold for dawlish.
@bootstrap bill
you left out
1. 4 (or is it 5?) estate agents
2. 3 florists (one in Brook Street, one on Brunswick, one on The Strand)
3. Depends on your definition of a supermarket but as well as Co-op there is also Costcutters and The One Stop Shop (is that what it's called?)
4. A greengrocers
5. A shoe shop
6.3 bakeries
7. Several newsagents in the town - (and don't forget Exeter Road)
8. A tatooing parlour
9. 2 x jewellers
10. A bike shop
11. 2? 3? souvenir shops
12. 2 x shops selling garden items
13. Several shops selling birthday cards and similar
I don't think that list is exhaustive but it's what I bring to mind if I exclude all the eateries.
Totally agree that Dawlish needs investment but the councils (Town, District and County) can only do so much. The owners of the properties in the town centre must also do their bit as well - but that costs money and we all know what that is like these days don't we?
dont forget the whole town of starcross will benefit from this store . dawlish will aswell . i think they are going all out with it,,,,, cafe .... the whole package... basing it on the fact that the holiday makers will play a big part... so theres money to be made... still wont change me from shopping and getting my petrol at tesco.... i`ll still get my meat from lloyd maunder amd veg from stokes. but i think the store is exciting and cant wait to see it finished..
The shoppers of Starcross, Dawlish and surrounding areas may well benefit from this new store yes, but not the local independent shops, quite the opposite in fact.
Money to be made eh? By whom? Sainsbury's?
Let's hope Lloyd Maunder and Stokes survive 'cos if they don''t you won't be buying your meat and veg from them will you?
Well said Lynne, reading other posts its quite clear how the trend is going never mind counting the shops and busnisses remaing, what about the ones already gone,and the ones up for sale or struggling to survive, Heres a few
The ferret and radiator, Threshers, Dawlish coaches, Dawlish Skips, Firbank Garage, Scott Richards,Kevin Coopers to name but a few.
Going soon, Exeter arms, The hardware shop near Harrisons.
The Sainsbury supporters dont even realise whats actualy happening so heres the real deal.
The two remaining banks in Dawlish will not lend any money to local businesses, They are also withdrawing existing credit and overdrafts from these same busnesses. In addition big name suppiers and wholesalers are doing the same. If you dont believe this is due to Sainsbury's ask the Citizens Advice Center and Business South West for the truth.
By the way wasent Stokes taken over last year after going under
As for Starcross wait for one of Sainsbury's lorry's to take out the Courtney pillars or cause an accident with a holiday makers caravan, plus the noise and added pollution
Happy Shopping
p.s dont for one minute think that Tesco's have given in and gone away
Often people on here say the town is full of old people ..they dont drive ..so why would they stop going to the Veg shop when anyway a jacket potato is cheaper than any supermarket. I bought one in Asda to shock and horror it was 38p on till slip. If you want a pastie you will not go all the way up to Sainsburys for that. A birthday card etc.
The more negative you are the more negative you will achieve and you are running the town into the ground by what you say. People so love doom and gloom just look at the papers and TV news.
If others towns survive perfectly with 4 big stores around them why not Dawlish? divide the population by 4 in the case of Newton Abbot. Sainsburys will be well aware of the negativity in Dawlish and how the people wont like the shop for some reason or other. So stop worring do..
1. Do you think for one moment that Sainsbury's won't put on a bus service, probably a free one, so that those without cars can get to their new store?
2. Possibly those who live the western side of Dawlish may still go into the town to do their 'top-up' shopping but those who live Exeter Road end/the Warren &Starcross will more than likely use the new supermarket for their "top-up" shop as well as their main shop. Ditto the tourists on the campsites.
3. This will lead to the demise of the independent shops at the Warren and on Exeter Road. Including the Marine Garage as Sainsbury's will also be providing a new petrol station.
4. Not being negative - just being realistic. Not running the town into the ground. I am greatly concerned for the town.
5. If Sainsbury's (or Tesco for that matter) didn't think their was a buck or two to be made by building here they wouldn't be wanting to do so, would they? Instead of travelling to Exeter or Newton or using the co-op at Teignmouth both residents and tourists will now use the new supermarket. But there is then a knock-on effect (see 2. above).
I hear what you say Lynne but long before Sainsburys ever came on the seen people ran the town down re shops for some reason or other, you can find posts for example if you go back far enough re Stokes and their veg.
As for free bus buses, free passes already exist for over 60s and those who cant drive for health reasons, so I doubt if there is call for a special free bus service. Who would go all that way when all you want is a pastie and a cake lunchtime!
The town will be ok as long as we have the sea and holiday visitors.. they buy in the shops and cafes. The shops have little trade in winter from locals, note how clear the Strand is ..even the seagulls dont hang around much for chance of some bread!
Retail has so changed in the last 10 years, what with the internet, I admit I buy online...so in 2011 its a tough way to make a living with high rates and business rates etc...strange thing is if you do people dont like it!.
yea i totally agree..... the doom and gloom is only going to happen if we the people make it happen!!
your not 100% in the know that sainsburys is going to put on a bus and like what was mentioned above... over 60s have free bus passes so whats the difference??? and what do you mean the banks wont lend money to businesses??? YES they are actually im from a growing business based in dawlish and have a good relationship with the bank. i think your just trying to find things to make this new build a problem. Dawlish is boring to be honest and yes most shop close down for the winter for the lack of trade.... i know one business who closes down for the winter and couldnt even find anyone to advertise in the window! his business is run off the holiday makers. the sainsburys is exciting and brings something new to do in dawlish!!
I didn't say I was 100% certain there would be a free bus service but I think it highly likely if Sainsbury's think it would be of financial advantage to them. And whilst Dawlish does have quite a large 60+ population (with free bus passes) it also has others who are younger and who do not have cars. And don't forget that not all of Dawlish has access to a nearby bus service. Does Old Town? Does the Warren?
I agree that if you are in the town and you want a cake or a pasty that it would not make sense to travel to Shutterton Bridge to buy them. But we are not talking about the odd cake or pasty are we?
Nice to know there are growing businesses in Dawlish. I hope they continue to thrive. My concern is for those who will be in direct competition with what the new supermarket will sell.
I am not trying to find things to make this new build a problem as quite simply this new build, whilst bringing advantages for some, will nontheless bring problems for others.
Yes, a supermarket here will bring something new to do in Dawlish. Like shopping at Shutterton Bridge instead of travelling all the way to Exeter or Newton Abbot to do the main shop. I've talked about 'top-up' shopping during the week in my postings above.
As I'm obviously missing out on how having an out of town supermarket will be advantageous for the town centre shops perhaps someone could advise me. Or is the argument that it will have no impact at all whether positive or negative? Am I wrong in thinking that it will have a most disastrous effect on the independent shops at the Warren and along Exeter Road?
I await your postings.
Lynne. Old Town Street has a bus every hour and it will go straight to Sainsburys >> town timetable
http://www.countrybusdevon.co.uk/timetables/186.pdf
The Warren has a bus every 20 minutes.
I dont think Teignmouth are in a stew about the Morrisons build, .. its just Dawlish that doesnt like anything new. Crediton objected about Tesco build but in fact the town is doing ok from what I hear.
Dawlish has the sea, good thing! ..so do please try and think 'positive', Had Sainsburys been plonked on the lawn with a car park on the roof ..then maybe you'd have something to worry about..however it would be a nice busy shopping centre by the sea and the small shops may have benefit from the presence of extra people Sainsburys will draw that you are worried about..
Oh yes! the 186 - I had forgotten that. Got saved only recently didn't it via Devon County Council stepping in and throwing money at it.
I'm pretty certain that part of the agreement for Sainsbury's to build at Shutterton Bridge is that it (Sainsbury's) would provide a bus service or money towards a service. Don't know the details off hand but deffo remember that was part of the agreement.
And the Warren? Would that bus service be the Number 2 which, whether going in a Newton Abbot or Exeter direction, only goes as far as the Sunburnt Arms before it turns around and travels back along Warren Road to the Exeter Road. Thus meaning that those living anywhere from the Warren to Cockwood have no bus service?
I know people in Teignmouth who are concerned about Morrisons.
Of course I wouldn't advocate and would never have advocated building on the lawn. The reason the new supermarket is not located in the town centre is because there wasn't, and isn't, a suitable site.
And why, oh why do you think that there will automatically be more people in the town due to there being a supermarket on the outskirts?
If you were going from Teignmouth side via Dawlish why not call in at Dawlish?
I have to say every seaside I have visited in this country I have always gone round the shops...I dont aim straight for a supermarket ...dont people do that too perhaps just me? In the summer all people here moan about is you cant walk down the Strand for holiday people!!! Oh my.
186 has always been subsidised by DCC, awarded to Country Bus after demise of Dawlish Coaches.. 2 goes down to the Warren and back to Exeter Road. There is every case for 186 to do a loop round Cockwood when Sainsburys opens. There was an hourly service a year ago via Cockwood and bridge as 2 larger buses could not negotiate the bridge but it was little used, so now withdrawn.
"I have to say every seaside I have visited in this countrty I have always gone round the shops.....I don't aim for a supermarket"
Yes, I do that as well. As I am sure others do which is why having a supermarket on the outskirts of the town won't necessarily act as a draw for people to visit the town.
People wil go to the supermarket as shoppers to do the bulk of their shopping and to the town, if they do so at all, as tourists to have a mooch around. And yes, they may well spend in the town but not necessarily anywhere near as much and on the same things as they will in the supermarket. And that brings me full circle to my earlier point that the town needs to re-invent and re-brand itself in order to keep attracting people into it.
Holiday season 2012 will be interesting to monitor.
Re above - Can fill in with some definate facts some from Sainsbury's plans and some from over 10 years of customer facing business in Dawlish.
Bearing in mind that most holiday accomodation in the area is self catering I can honestly say the most asked question of me is where is the nearest supermarket? I suspect this is one of the main reasons the supermarket companies want a store locally. These folk only usualy buy cheap booze, fags and fat food anyway.
The plans for the Sainsbury site definatley show a bus stop plus a petrol station and car wash also an area for the usual recycling bins.
I also know of several coach tour companies who run the old codger trips to Torquay actualy dont bring them to Dawlish because they have to park on Sandy lane which is to much hassle for them. They have a point as there is always some van or other in the drop off space outside Baily's.
With the Strand pedestrianised and no clearly visible parking the passing punters on the main road will just drive on through. As for re-inventing, how will that work with no money for investment and not much intrest either. We were sold well short by the local council and planning dept on that front, Totnes got about five million,we got two hundred thousand. Local town dwellers cant even accept the traveling fair once a year without moaning about the noise, state of the lawn, kids and obstructing the dog walking.
Keep the good ideas coming we can make a list for the town council to look at
Anyone want to paint the railway viaduct for a start cause Network Rail dont want to,
Actually, Froneterman, the viaduct will be painted this year in a contract Network Rail will let in early September, and it will include the masonry abutments and piers, so it's not just a paint job but a proper spring clean.
In this long thread there's not much mention of the 72% of household shopping which is done at present in supermarkets in Exeter or Newton (incl KingsT). That's what may be brought back to Dawlish at Shutterton, providing jobs for many who want part-time employment to top up other income.
In addition I would say that we are not served well by the monopolies in greengrocery and butchery by present traders. Their competition has faded away in the past ten years and they are being lazy about the quality of their offer. Just compare the same traders shops in other towns and you will see how Dawlish is being left with less than the best, so roll on Sainsbury's and sharpen the competition and we will get better quality on the Strand - and that was just the point made by yellow book who stressed that time does not stand still and Dawlish could not avoid one supermarket coming, and so the traders needed to move out of direct competition with them and offer something special. It's the something special we may lose when Bonne Bouche is sold to new owners if we don't look out. It's on the market as the present owners want to retire, and they have provided a very good service until now.
Parking for coaches is in your hands. People in business should get their goods delivered early and then ensure no-one parks in the marked coach bays.
Vanguard,
I agree that the new supermarket will provide extra jobs and that it will significantly cut back on the numbers travelling all the way to Exeter, KingsT, or NA to do their supermarket shop. I openly acknowlege that me and mine will welcome not having to travel all that distance, because yes, like oh so many others, we do the bulk of our shopping, once a week, from a supermarket.
If many others in and around the town also do the same then it follows that Sainsbury's will gain at ASDA's and Tesco's expense. Yes? And also, those who have part-time jobs at the new supermarket will also be ploughing a % of their earnings straight back into the store as they will also be doing their shopping there. Seems like win/win for Sainsbury's.
So, and as I have said before, and as I think you may agree given your comments above, the town centre shops will need to 1. offer something different and 2. up their game. Some have already gone in that direction. But others?
Perhaps the cost of car parks in Dawlish has not helped. I think that the local Council Tax payers are already being penalised enough by having to pay to shop locally. We travel to France regularly every year, and it is very rare to find a town in France where one has to pay for parking. Consequently people spend time in these small flourishing towns. Most of them have much bigger supermarkets than any of those in this country on the suburban outskirts. Also most of them have a thriving market once a week which draws crowds of people from the surrounding villages.
'We travel to France regularly every year' ..nice to be able to afford the trip ...tis amazing what some will do to avoid shopping in Dawlish ..guess next time I want a cream cake I need to get with it and plan my ferry crossing! '
As the work continues at Shutterton many of the valid points made by objectors are begining to come to light.
Firstly has anyone living locally actually been offered a job on site yet ?
Second as the roads around the site which are now covered in mud are rapidly being destroyed by the continuous flow of heavy lorries continue to become more and more dangerous many people have mentioned the lack of respect being shown by their drivers in relation to speed limits etc whillst travelling along Exeter Road
Maybe someone may know the legal requirement for the provision of a vehicle wheel wash at the exit of such a construction site.
Thanks to reports by myself and action taken by councilor Clatworthy the road along by the site has now been cleaned and swept for the weekend - THANK YOU
Of course the national commercialisation of Dawlish will have a massive impact on the local businesses. Most of us will have wittnessed the total change of Torquay and Newton Abbot town centres of the past decades. since the first out of town modern churches rose from those dark satanic green fields, oh sorry brown sites.
The big boys are in it for the money. Tesco's mantra is the 3 E's, and thats nothing to do with the 90's parties for all you 40 somethings reading. It stands for Everything, Everywhere, for Everyone.
Sainsburys will have a similar focus that epitomises the compulsive obbsesive motivations that the Directors of these companies. At no time are they interested in local issues with the same conviction as us locals. They are international players that have vast capital and resourses both in the way or Assets and networks. They will import as much milk as is necessary to keep the Devonshire farmers of less than 45 cows on their knees. They will play Russian roulette with short term milk contracts to keep the wholesale price of milk akin to the minimum wage. And for a moment try thinking about how you would keep a roof above your head, cloth and feed your family and pay the bills and interest on the minimum wage.
Yes of course there are personal benefits number one for me being not having to rely on the Dictatorship the Co Op has managed to achieve locally. Very high prices when compared to Lidl for example. Reduction in time and petrol to get my favourite tea bags. I will be able to choose from a vast selection of out of season foods from all over the world. Each product carefully sselected but professionals and experts to exploit every resource along the extraction, manufacture and distribution chain. Human resourse being the best I just wonder how many products will have weaved their way from Asia. Hurray I can be part of the great global economy, you know the one were we work hard and still can't quite get the balance right. Is that VAT I here you say? What's that?
With the extra business rates coming our way does the council really have to charge us to park, even in the winter? Free limited waiting would do. Cars both side of the stree? Come on this is Great Britain we due to be Europe's best obese nation soon. When did you last try taking your toddler or likkle puppy for a walk and have to squeeze againts a shop window or car? Lets get real we need wider walking space for everyone.
If you have reached this far thank you for your time....
Some bloody good comments there! Not sure about your comparison between British membership-owned Co-op and German discount merchants Lidl, but otherwise you make a sound case for change.
Cheers Mac
Sorry about that, I am so used to paying over inflated prices as an outlet for my love of Britain. Maybe I am waking up to the fact that consumerism can be used against those that artificially stimulate a demand that becomes an exploitable purchasing habbit.
6 cans of Heinz baked beans for £2.35 at Lidl, I'll be ready to pay my carbon tax.
If I'm honest I think the meat from the Co Op is naff, their stock levels at relevant times naff, their political leverage naff, and when they obliterated those lovely gardens and blamed it on the rats from their left overs and drains I found that to be really naff. Yes they employ people but its costing us and they will take most of their pay in over priced goods.
Good news for all you supporters of Sainsbury's just heard that due to the good weather they are hoping to open a month early.
Shame DCC highways wont have the road finished by then thus preventing them opening as their planning consent requires the roads to be finished prior to opening.
Come on Tesco get a move on, we need the competition and an alternative shopping option.
Anyone fancy a walk to town for a £3.50 cup of coffee sat outside of course and a quick look round the charity shops