Sat through the Town Council meeting last night. A bunch of people lodged their protests to the Tesco and left. They should have stuck around. Later on they were discussing Tesco and mentioned that the planning was approved months (and months) ago. The discussion was mainly about whether or not they were able to get £76K out of Tesco as it was promised in the original planning application.

By ChoccyHobNob at 08:55 on 09/02/11

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Yes, it was pretty much taken for granted that this proposal had already been given the go ahead. It was already a dead cert that the store would come to Glastonbury, even before people were asked to submit their comments to the planning officer. As far as I can ascertain Tesco just had to downsize the store from their original proposal, sort out suitable access and highway improvements to the site, add a bit of landscaping and job's a good 'un. Whether more people are for the store, against the store or indifferent to the store really has no bearing on it any more.

What was the original £76,000 for?

By VictorMildew at 11:40 on 09/02/11
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Community Improvement Projects I think. They didn't actually say, it had obviously been discussed in the original planning application but thats usually the price supermarket chains have to pay for planning approval, Affordable housing and community improvement projects.

By ChoccyHobNob at 08:15 on 10/02/11
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So the store IS coming to Glastonbury? I've been visiting my family in Belgium at the moment and so I'm not able to follow up with everything.. Why isn't anyone doing anything about it?

By Kumari_Deva at 13:41 on 10/02/11
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What would you suggest we do?

When they originally applied for planning there was a great deal of protesting. The application was approved. Tesco then decided not to build.

Now they want to build and the planning is already approved. Just minor details to be worked out.

What got me riled was that the TC sat and listened to the protesters at the meeting, the mayor said 'thank you' but no one mentioned that the planning is already approved until much later in the meeting, after all the protesters had left.

By ChoccyHobNob at 14:40 on 10/02/11
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Very sad state of affairs i,m afraid. but you must remember you are talking about the TC. Most of them knew this and could have mentioned it. The standard of councillor is going down in my opinion. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though,elections in May. It's time to chop away the old wood. Prehaps we could have the ones who saw to the Holy Thorn do it.

By sexualdevil at 17:42 on 10/02/11
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I might be willing to wield an axe to one or two of them

By ChoccyHobNob at 18:43 on 10/02/11
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I'm really disappointed about our city council. I've been thinking about this Tesco thing and I realised it will take away more jobs than it will create. It's also a supermarket-job, which really doesn't pay well. To me that wage isn't even worth working for. Does anyone here really needs a Tesco? I mean I've talked to a lot of other locals and they told me they go and do their shopping at Street, which really isn't that far away..
Will they have a lot of customers? I mean a lot of Glasto-locals are contra..

By Kumari_Deva at 19:03 on 10/02/11
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@CHN: £76,000 won't actually go very far, I hope they aren't trying to renage on their original agreement then.

@K_D: I think that if/when the Tesco supermarket arrives people will use it. Some people will protest against it or boycott it, but once its convenience becomes apparent to many it will become their major shopping place. If you look at the car parks at Tesco Shepton and Wells (and even Street) they are invariably quite full. I don't think Tesco would contemplate astore here if it wasn't expected to be profitable.

By VictorMildew at 11:02 on 11/02/11
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@VM I agree. It's our own fault if the High Street dies. If we cared enough to save it, we would shop there. I do shop on the High St. btw, and will continue to do so even after Tesco opens. I think the only business that will loose my cash will be Morrissons.

But I'm unusual, most people will shop wherever it's cheapest and then bemoan the loss of the shops they used to love. Blaming the supermarket they choose to shop at in the process.

By ChoccyHobNob at 11:30 on 11/02/11
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I agree CHN, and while Glastonbury's high street is stronger than most due to its quirkiness as well as a good quality butcher, baker and candlestick seller, there will be a time in the future, when like many other towns, people will just look back and bemoan the fact that their high street is just takeaways, charity shops and boarded up premises.

By VictorMildew at 15:17 on 11/02/11
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We already have more than our fair share of hairdressers and coffee shops

By ChoccyHobNob at 15:27 on 11/02/11
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At one time there was a good dozen hairdressers. So why are people still walking around with hair down to their bums.

By sexualdevil at 21:28 on 11/02/11
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I don't know SD - I suspect the answer isn't a cut and dried one!

By glastopeep at 22:36 on 11/02/11
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The only thing we can do now is to boycott the store! If people do not use the store then they will not get money from it. It is just a normal example of the council's lack of listening skills when it comes to it's residents.

By juniper71 at 12:25 on 25/09/11
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