[Wildwell]

Shops, employment and the countryside in England all flourish if plans for superstores are refused, a report says.

The findings by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and the Plunkett Foundation are based on the area around Saxmundham in East Suffolk.

Planning permission for an outside town superstore there was refused in 1997.

The area's butchers, bakers, fish shops and greengrocers have since prospered, the report says. It says the evidence should inspire UK-wide action.

Benefits of rejecting the supermarket included small stores doing well, an increase in farm shops and markets, more firms adding choice and value and local stores helping to keep communities alive, the report said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5115990.stm

[NTBKtrader]

This is a great story and too true. When giant stores come in they buy the business i.e. push out all the little guys until they have a monopoly, then jack up the prices enjoying ridiculous profits.

This needs to be in the economic section and not the environment section, in my opinion.

[grabby]

I knew that.
Let me tell you of an actual alleged made-up event on the planet amrica, a fictional mirror of our planet where everything happens like it does here.

A small store (hardware and pharmacy and old boy farming equipment) in a small town near us heard of a walrus coming into town, they guessed they were going to get eaten alive. One day two potential "BUYERS" came in to purchase the store and they went through their whole inventory and sources with the potential buyrs trying to work out an equitable cost to sell the store, this took some days, and lots of photocopying.

When they had all the information they wanted they told the store owners they decided not to buy and indeed they would just run them out of business instead becasue they represented a walrus (large incoming store).
They said they would put them out of business in a few months since they new their pricing so it would be better if they just folded up, (this would save the walrus from cutting prices.
This left Ma and Pa with open mouths as they left.

How would you like ton know you are targetted to loose your business on purpose?

I never shop in a store like that even if I'd go without, and you know what, many people in the comunity did the same and are suppporting the ma/pa store.

The Ma and PA had to sell to get better pricing and were bought up by Ranch n home and are making it with the comunities help. but I shop ranch and home all the time.

At least they try to support the community

All the illegals and incoming workers from mexico always shop at the walrus/seal store, if we close up the borders maybe the big guys will dry up and go away.

[WildRose]

In the community where I live, there is every big box store and restaurant you can think of. I keep encouraging my friends and family to spend their money at the small stores/new businesses to keep the locals strong. Not only will that be good for the community in leaner times, but I've found the qualitiy of the product is usually superior at the smaller business.