NO TESCO IN STOKES CROFT PROTEST. THE COMMUNITY FINDS ITS VOICE.
The People of Stokes Croft, Montpelier and beyond took to the streets on Saturday afternoon, thus demonstrating the depth of feeling at the the possibility of Tesco spreading its unwelcome influence into this area of the City. The Community are shocked by the lack of Community Consultation, and are conducting their own survey, the results of which are soon to be released.
There is widespread anger that Bristol City Council gave permission for change of use from entertainment to food retail at 142 Cheltenham Road, despite receiving no replies whatsoever to their 55 letters of consultation.
The march from Turbo Island to the now-squatted former Comedy Club, took place peacefully and without Police presence, causing minimal disruption to the normal traffic of Stokes Croft. Representatives of all parts of the Community were present.
It is estimated that more than 300 people took part in the March.
Squatters lined the roof top whilst business people, residents, and local artists lined the pavements, and spilled onto the streets.
The strength of feeling of local residents cannot be denied.
Surveying of the local Community has been undertaken. Results will be released soon.
Parents and children united in their opposition to the monoculture of large multiple retailers.
The ever-splendid Ambling Band buoyed spirits… Many thanks to them , and also to Kevin with the Amazing Bicycle Powered Disco.
After the March, protestors massed on the Iconic Turbo Island, in the Heart of Stokes Croft.
Signage was prepared by willing helpers at the PRSC Workshop in Jamaica Street. Many thanks to those who painted, those who marshalled, and those who helped to conduct surveys.
This Graffiti appeared overnight on the shutters of the former Malaap/Jesters comedy Club
If you want to get involved, go to www.notescoinstokescroft.org.uk
Pass this information on to your friends… Make sure they are signed up to the PRSC Mailing list
PRESS AND MEDIA: If you need media images, at higher Resolution, or further copy, please contact us at PRSC
Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft 
Looks fantastic. Bit gutted I couldn’t make it but I hope it makes noises in the right places.
A Tesco’s in Stokes Croft is the last thing we need.
Shame I didn’t make it to the demo, but it looks like a fantastic success. Up with Stokes Croft and down with Tesco!
Rate what your doing keep it up, and hope tesco dont take the piss!
People need to be empowered in order to question there rights(e.g.free), this would effect local business and dis-empower the local area and its future generations.
Peach
I have lived just off Stokes Croft all my life. I am now 30. In all that time the area has been a complete disgrace with deralict buildings and general squaler. I too an not a fan of Tesco, however having a Tesco on the street will be an improvement to yet another empty building.
In a recession can anyone tell me that having yet another squat in the area is benifiting anyone in the area besides those who choose to live in there and not pay any local taxes. I would love to see the street revived with lots of local busineses, however many of these have opened and closed just as fast, this again in not helped due to the fact that the street is still full of squats, litter, and street drinking. hardly appealing for a new business to thrive.
Tesco might not be a geat proposal but in my view is by far the best of a very bad situation.
i feel for you and the rest of the community. we never intended on opening a squat to just do as we please, we have decided that as individuals that have motivation, time and the passion to “stick it to the man” so to speak, wanted to occupy the building to slow the process for the development of the super market. we want to use the space in which ever way the community pleases, we invite you to come get stuck in. we have court on Tuesday 2nd of march and need as much support as possible to resist eviction. this means donations, help with events which would provide money for us to resist and collaborate with the people of the stokes croft/ and surrounding areas.
we all know its really a battle with capitalism and the gentrification of the struggling communities.
peace and love to my bristolians and people of bristol. xxx
Great campaign, but very sad to see you running (via Ads by Google) an advert for Tesco!!
‘i feel for you and the rest of the community. we never intended on opening a squat to just do as we please, we have decided that as individuals that have motivation, time and the passion to “stick it to the man” ‘
Ah. So THAT’s what this is about. Well I’m very sorry, but I don’t really want to stick it to the man, thank you. I live locally, and am asking you, can you please now stop pretending that you act in my name.
‘we want to use the space in which ever way the community pleases, we invite you to come get stuck in’
Whereas, in actual fact, you have taken something which belongs to someone else (i.e. the Jester building) in order to ‘stick it to the man’. You’re just on a countercultural bandwagon, maaaaaaaaan. I bet you wouldn’t be quite so accommodating to someone who turned up and started spraypainting pro-Tory graffiti over the place.
‘we all know its really a battle with capitalism and the gentrification of the struggling communities.’
I rather thought that might be the case. What on earth is the point of struggling against capitalism and gentrification? I simply do not understand.
All this protesting is a waste of time. Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. If people really cared then they would have had the forsight to protest against the planning permission granted to build hundreds of 1 and 2 bedroom flats on the old Picton Lane/Picton Street former garages area. Now these flats have gone up and are all nearly complete, there will be many hundreds more people in the local area. Tesco have rightly recognised this and are swooping in to pick up the extra demand. These new ‘affodable studio flat’ developments are the real evil. They are the cause of the traffic and parking chaos, not small supermarkets. Have you tried driving down Bath Buildings recently? The extra residents put enormous strain on the already crowded street space.
But what’s done is done, the flats are up, and Tesco are moving in. At least I won’t have to walk all the way down to Sommerfields anymore. The local shops don’t offer what I want. Gallifords corner shop/off license should be closed down. Have you seen how dirty that place is? Rat poison on the floor in their grocery section. A foul smell throughout the shop. A cat jumping about the shelves amongst food stuffs. Rotting and sad veg on the shelves. No thanks. Is that an alternative to Tesco?
And yeah, thanks to the person who graviti’d “F*ck of Tesco” on the side of my building. That was clever. Since when did my house look like a Tesco? I had a lot more sympathy for the cause before the graf went up everywhere. Non-violent protest is all very well. But criminal damage is not on.
Hi Seamon
I just want to say I am sorry to hear about the graffiti on the side of your building.
I have no idea who did it but it does not sound a creative act. Please don’t leap to conclusions about its origins. All the people I know involved with the No Tesco in Stokes Croft are kind and considered people. And the grafitti artists I know create work that is inventive and artistic (not like the graffiti on the side of your building).
But that does not take away the pain, I know!
And yes, you are right about the flats. But just because locals were unable to stop the flats going up, surely this does not devalue their right to stop a Tesco’s moving in, when there is already one eight minutes away.
Capitalism is an economic and social system in which capital and land, the non-labour factors of production (also known as the means of production), are privately owned (thanks, Wikipedia).
Gentrification means doing houses up for purchase by those with capital.
Both are the opposite of affordable social housing and sustainable local commerce, which is what Stokes Croft REALLY needs.
“The People of Stokes Croft, Montpelier and beyond took to the streets on Saturday afternoon, thus demonstrating the depth of feeling at the the possibility of Tesco spreading its unwelcome influence into this area of the City. The Community are shocked by the lack of Community Consultation, and are conducting their own survey, the results of which are soon to be released.”
This is NOT true. By your own admission, the demonstration consisted of about 300 people. Many thousands of people live in Stokes Croft, Montpelier and beyond. Therefore most of the people of Stokes Croft, Montpelier and beyond did NOT take to the streets. Whilst it is certainly plausible that a minority – perhaps even a substantial minority – of the Community oppose Tesco, you are in no position to argue that they represent the majority view. It is very likely that you are misrepresenting the opinions of many thousands of people. Please stop doing this.
Hi Elizabeth
“Capitalism is an economic and social system in which capital and land, the non-labour factors of production (also known as the means of production), are privately owned (thanks, Wikipedia).”
Fair enough
“Gentrification means doing houses up for purchase by those with capital.”
Again, fair enough
“Both are the opposite of affordable social housing and sustainable local commerce, which is what Stokes Croft REALLY needs.”
It may or may not be true that Stokes Croft needs affordable social housing and sustainable local commerce. Assuming it is, capitalism certainly is NOT the opposite, as you put it, of these desiderata. Affordable social housing is financed by means of taxation. Since a large proportion of tax revenues are generated from capitalists and their employees, I would imagine that, far from being the opposite of affordable social housing, capitalism is utterly, utterly essential to it. Similarly, I fail to see how sustainable local commerce is financed without recourse to capital investment.
Lastly, doing up an already privately owned house in order to sell it on does not decrease the stock of affordable social housing.
Both are the opposite of affordable social housing and sustainable local commerce, which is what Stokes Croft REALLY needs.
“we want to use the space in which ever way the community pleases”
What if the community mostly just wants Tesco?
Richard Craven (not the Osborne Clarke Richard Craven?)
Until you get more than 300 local people willing to demonstrate in favour of a new Tesco in Stoke Croft, I would suggest that there is little or no evidence to say that the majority of residents welcome it.
At the moment the demonstrated level of opposition to the store severely outweighs the demonstrated level of support for the store.
As a local, perhaps if you feel so strongly in support of the store perhaps you should do something positive to show that support, perhaps organise a petition if a demo is a little bit “lefty” for you. After all, if the majority are in favour you will be able to get plenty of signatures from your neighbours…….won’t you?
“There is widespread anger that Bristol City Council gave permission for change of use from entertainment to food retail at 142 Cheltenham Road, despite receiving no replies whatsoever to their 55 letters of consultation.”
One would think that, if the Council received no replies whatsoever to their 55 letters, it was reasonable for them to conclude that it was indifference rather than anger which was widespread. Hence, while there might possibly be other reasons for prohibiting change of use, public opinion was not one of them.
Really, you’re not going to persuade people to support your anti-Tesco campaign by insulting their intelligence!
“This campaign is not anti-commerce or competition – this is about giving local businesses a fair crack at the whip.”
er … I think you’ll find that this campaign IS anti-commerce and competition, as the following comment makes plain:-
“we all know its really a battle with capitalism and the gentrification of the struggling communities.”
Hooray for North Norfolk District Council
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/tesco-thwarted-over-norfolk-supermarket-1916272.html
It is now vital that the Government and local authorities bring in new policies to support independent shops and the local economies to give communities a genuine choice about where to shop and how to live.
I am 3rd/4th generation Bristolian lived around Stokes Croft for the last 30 years, shop locally.work locally, my children grew up here, I live within 2 minutes walk of Jesters, No I was not consulted nor were most of my neighbours, I cannot walk for 100 yards without waving to, chatting to someone I know and none of them want Tesco here.
We havel lived through the last 30 years having to put up with the neglect and dereliction
of care on Stokes Croft and have as a result created a lively and thriving creative community here.
Bring it on !!!!
Keep this community alive and vibrant not bland, cloned,and barcoded,
no longer slaves to a prehistoric system that does nothing for our futures.
“Richard Craven (not the Osborne Clarke Richard Craven?)”
No, not that one; but it’s always amusing to learn of the existence of a namesake.
“Until you get more than 300 local people willing to demonstrate in favour of a new Tesco in Stoke Croft, I would suggest that there is little or no evidence to say that the majority of residents welcome it.”
I never said that the majority of residents did welcome Tesco. My point was merely this: that you cannot claim that the community rejects Tesco on the basis of a demonstration by 300 people out of the many thousands who live here. Indeed, I suspect that the prevailing mood is one of apathy.
“At the moment the demonstrated level of opposition to the store severely outweighs the demonstrated level of support for the store.”
True. However, see my previous comment. Moreover, your comment appears to rest on the assumption that planning decisions should depend on numbers attending demonstrations, and on whoever is prepared to shout the loudest. This is both facile and not true. Planning decisions should be made quietly and soberly by officials backed-up by electoral mandate; i.e. by Bristol City Council officials, and not by demonstrators.
“As a local, perhaps if you feel so strongly in support of the store perhaps you should do something positive to show that support, perhaps organise a petition if a demo is a little bit “lefty” for you. After all, if the majority are in favour you will be able to get plenty of signatures from your neighbours…….won’t you?”
I do support the store, but not particularly strongly. What I strongly resent is the misrepresentation of my views by anti-Tesco campaigners claiming to represent the Community. They do not represent the Community. The Community is represented by its elected officials. Through their offices, Tesco has been granted permission to open a store in Stokes Croft. Those who have squatted the premises in question have misrepresented their own behaviour as ‘grass-roots democracy’ in action, when in fact it is strikingly anti-democratic.
Once again, I don’t claim that the majority is in favour of Tesco. The truth is that they are probably pretty apathetic, and for the most part content to leave local government decision-making up to the people whom they have elected for this purpose.
“I just want to say I am sorry to hear about the graffiti on the side of your building. I have no idea who did it but it does not sound a creative act. Please don’t leap to conclusions about its origins. All the people I know involved with the No Tesco in Stokes Croft are kind and considered people. And the grafitti artists I know create work that is inventive and artistic (not like the graffiti on the side of your building). But that does not take away the pain, I know!”
Very reasonable!
“And yes, you are right about the flats. But just because locals were unable to stop the flats going up, surely this does not devalue their right to stop a Tesco’s moving in, when there is already one eight minutes away.”
With respect, I thing you’re both wrong about the flats. Since I came to the UK as a child 40-odd years ago, the UK’s population has increased by roughly 10 million. In addition, family units have significantly decreased in size as part of a trend away from lifetime monogamy and towards single parent-hood. Hence, there is a great deal of pressure on government to build, or allow the building of, housing. The best place to locate this housing is in cities. In effect, we end up with blocks of small flats in places like Stokes Croft. We may not like this, but we have to put up with it.
That said Seamon is right about Tesco. Of course they are going to take advantage of the demographics. It would be irrational of them not to.
“It is now vital that the Government and local authorities bring in new policies to support independent shops and the local economies to give communities a genuine choice about where to shop and how to live.”
This is not true. You would like the Government to do this, but it is not vital.
“I am 3rd/4th generation Bristolian lived around Stokes Croft for the last 30 years, shop locally.work locally, my children grew up here, I live within 2 minutes walk of Jesters, No I was not consulted nor were most of my neighbours, I cannot walk for 100 yards without waving to, chatting to someone I know and none of them want Tesco here”
Why tell us how long you and your family have lived here? Do you think that this gives you special privileges in deciding who can and who cannot open a business in Stokes Croft? As it happens, I am an immigrant. I don’t like to think that, for this reason, I have fewer rights than other legally-resident tax-paying UK citizens.
“We havel lived through the last 30 years having to put up with the neglect and dereliction
of care on Stokes Croft and have as a result created a lively and thriving creative community here.”
It is not Tesco’s fault that Stokes Croft is in the lamentable state in which we find it. If anything, their presence will improve matters. They are interested in turning a profit, not in suppressing lively and thriving creative communities.
“Bring it on !!!!”
Bring what on ???
“Keep this community alive and vibrant not bland, cloned,and barcoded, no longer slaves to a prehistoric system that does nothing for our futures”
I don’t like loyalty cards either. But just don’t get one, ok? There’s no need to be paranoid about it.
And the system isn’t prehistoric. It’s modern. As far as I’m aware, the Jurassic period was notably lacking in convenience stores.
And why should Tesco do anything for our future? They’re just trying to sell us food, for goodness’ sake. Please be realistic.
I thought I might widen the debate a little. A friend sent me this item, which appeared in thedailymash.co.uk. Any real berserk loonies out there, who would like to take issue with this?
PARLIAMENT EMITTING ANGRY PURPLE AURA, SAY HOMEOPATHS
23-02-10
MEMBERS of Parliament who criticised homeopathy have badly knotted chakras and are emitting an unhealthy purple aura, it was claimed last night.
As a committee of MPs said the not-medicine was 14 times less efficient than writing a letter to Jesus, homeopaths claimed the report had no credibility because it had not been buried for two weeks in a cocoon of damp horse chestnut leaves, directly over the right kind of ley line.
Not-Dr Julian Cook said: “The House of Commons is giving off the same aggressive, dark purple aura that you get from a GP’s prescription or a box of paracetamol.
“These MPs have obviously neglected to re-mineralise their chakras but I can fix that with a simple course of quartz therapy and a tincture of henbane rubbed into their belly buttons. In exchange for some money.”
The report could see government funding into the not-treatment being stripped back to £1 as according to homeopathic theory it will have the same effect as giving them £100 million.
Practitioners will apply for one penny of the new budget and then be advised to shake it vigorously in their bank account.
Committee member, Denys Finch-Hatton, said: “Their account will ‘remember’ the millions we used to give them and they can then try to buy new clinics by telling the builders about all the money that used to be there.”
But Wayne Hayes, a registered Chi masseur from Carlise, said: “If these MPs are so clever then how come homeopathy is endorsed not just by people who watch Most Haunted but by a wide range of actresses, pre-menopausal television presenters and the Prince of Wales?
“That shut you up, didn’t it?”
Yes, there is a housing shortage, Richard.
But the government does not need to allow new flats to be built that costs over £150k each to buy.
That is not solving the housing shortage.
We need more affordable housing and we need to work out a way to reuse the million houses in the UK which currently lie empty.
The government most certainly does need developers to build new homes on brownfield sites. It’s a simple matter of matching demand to supply in a time of population growth and the atomisation of the family. Otherwise, developers will have to build all over the greenbelt.
At the moment, the population is 60m or so. Over the next few decades it is expected to grow, according to official and semi-official estimates, by between 10m and 20m. In the circumstances, it is quite right to renovate all the empty homes as you suggest. However, if there are, as per your figures, only a million of these, then it would be utterly, utterly wrong to rely on renovation alone. In this context, affordability certainly is a most important issue. But to oppose new building on grounds of affordability is simply perverse. In the longterm, if you reduce supply, it will not match demand, and prices will rise. Fact.
“But the government does not need to allow new flats to be built that costs over £150k each to buy. ”
In other words, yes they do. It may be unfashionable to say so, but it needs to be said.
I noticed that someobody uploaded a picture onto one of your anti-Tesco Facebook sites, which bore the legend ‘Corruptissima republica, plurissimae leges’ and to which they attached the comment ‘how ‘true’
As far as I can tell from my 30-year-old latin a-level, the latin means something like ‘the most corrupt state has the most extensive legislation’.
I don’t know whether this is true or not. But if it is, I would keep quiet about it if I were the anti-Tesco lobby. Surely, it is Tesco which is in the position of wanting fewer laws, in particular laws relating to planning consent; and surely the anti-Tesco lobby which wants more laws. In effect, an opponent of Tesco has produced an argument for allowing Tesco to act as they please. Bizarre!
“Claire Milne, a local resident representing the ‘No Tesco in Stokes Croft’ group said: “The Stokes Croft community feels entirely let down by Bristol City Council.”
I pasted this remark from Bristol 24/7, in which it appeared on 12 February.
What Claire Milne is reported to have said is not true. Many members of the Stokes Croft community do not feel let down by BCC. Therefore the Stokes Croft community does not feel entirely let down by BCC. Claire needs to tell us whether she has been correctly quoted. If so, she should retract her remark.
Richard,
I don’t know you and you don’t know me but I am compelled to make a single comment after reading the whole comments history…
So you are upset because the anti-tesco movement is ‘misrepresenting you’. So what, get over it. It’s stones vs tanks, let them live. Fuck off Tesco!
Elected representatives? Are you an elected official? This is the only way I could understand you having any faith in elected officials and they’re decision-making prowess. The system is rotten to the core and you and everyone knows this.
Don’t get so fixated on the laws of economics that you found in a thick book. Banker.
To all those people who read the whole comments history all the way to the bottom and felt depressed by the end. Don’t let people like Richard get you down. Just because he seems erudite, writes wll and appears as prima facie ‘rational’ – doesn’t mean his view actually makes any sense in the grand scheme of things. It sounds like he is a bit disconnected if you catch ma drift!
The way is in the heart. Life is a miracle.
Fuck off Tesco and Richard.
Seb
Well hello Seb!
“I don’t know you and you don’t know me but I am compelled to make a single comment after reading the whole comments history…”
Evidently, you’re compelled to make a great deal more than a single comment!
“So you are upset because the anti-tesco movement is ‘misrepresenting you’. So what, get over it. It’s stones vs tanks, let them live. Fuck off Tesco! ”
The anti-tesco movement claims to represent the community, but doesn’t. I should think that I am perfectly entitled to point this out. Why should I ‘get over’ it? It sounds to me as though you wish to prevent the free expression of opinions by those who disagree with you. In the circumstances, your comment about stones vs tanks certainly resonates, but perhaps not in the way you would wish.
“Elected representatives? Are you an elected official?”
No. I participate in elections. Those properly mandated through the electoral process may plausibly claim to represent the Community. The anti-tesco organizations can’t make this claim. You may froth at the mouth as much as you like, but this will still be true.
“This is the only way I could understand you having any faith in elected officials and they’re decision-making prowess. The system is rotten to the core and you and everyone knows this.”
What makes you think I have faith in elected officials? I simply prefer those who claim to represent the community to have some kind of mandate to do so. BCC’s elected officials have this. The anti-tesco lobby does not. That does not mean that I think the system is perfect. Equally, I do not know the system to be “rotten to the core”. What you said to this effect is not true. And – dare I say so – you know this.
By the way:- ‘their’, not ‘they’re’
“Don’t get so fixated on the laws of economics that you found in a thick book. Banker.”
I didn’t find the laws of economics in a thick book, and am not a banker. (Did you call me a banker, because ‘banker’ rhymes with ‘wanker’? Gosh, how sophisticated!) I can only assume that you are referring to some comments I made about the propensity of property prices to rise as a result of population increase and decrease in the size of family. I worked that out by myself, thank you, merely by exercising the commonsense which you are manifestly and sadly lacking.
“To all those people who read the whole comments history all the way to the bottom and felt depressed by the end. Don’t let people like Richard get you down.”
Ahhhh. Bless!
“Just because he seems erudite, writes wll and appears as prima facie ‘rational’ – doesn’t mean his view actually makes any sense in the grand scheme of things. It sounds like he is a bit disconnected if you catch ma drift!”
It would be nice if you said why; then people might actually catch your drift.
“The way is in the heart. Life is a miracle.”
Relevance?
“Fuck off Tesco and Richard.”
Comments like this do Tesco’s work for them. Are they paying you, Seb?
Richard I have read all your comments.. and I agree whole heartedly. Your agruments are reasoned and sensible.
In reference to your reply to my earlier comment, I am not against the building of new inner city flats and homes (there is obviously a market for them…I live in one myself!) and they are definitely needed across the UK. I just wanted to point out that the problems people often lay at supermarkets doors (parking, congestion, shifting business trends etc) are normally more complicated than single source issues and can be attributable to wider factors.
Ultimately, I’m not massively pro Tesco, but then I’m not hugely ageist it either. I will definitely shop there when it is built, since I live within 30 seconds walk.
What I am against is the ‘community action’ that the PRSC seem to think is acceptable. Stokes croft does not need any more unruly and unwelcoming ILLEGAL squats like the one established in the former Jesters building. We don’t need anymore derelict buildings waiting for some miracle worker to come along and open a community reading club but in the mean time use it as an unsafe venue for drink and drugs parties. We don’t need anymore fly posting or graffiti on shuttered up premises or phone boxes or telecoms boxes, no matter how amazing the artist thinks it is – its just makes the place look scruffy.
And yes Elisabeth you might know the organisers of the squat to be ‘kind and considerate’ and you might see what they have done to the tesco building as welcoming, but I certainly don’t. Not everyone does. I walked past last Friday night at about 1 am and the doors were open to a rave/party. People milling in and out uncontrolled, unaccountable, faceless. Loud music and the smell of skunk – I don’t find that welcoming. For some people it might be (some of my friends in particular) but not me.
I hope the people occupying it leave peacefully when the time comes.
Thanks Seamon, in particular for clarifying your point about the flats, which seems eminently reasonable now that I understand you properly.
I agree strongly with the rest of your comment, in regard both to its tone and to its content.
I’m all for this space being used for a local business, but I was a bit upset to hear that the squatters were making such a mess of the street from where they’re camping out on top of the building. It’s making the local area look like a tip, where i’m sure that the whole aim is to keep a happy, friendly, safe, local-minded and pleasant area to live in..what’s happened ain’t this..
Has the cause been forgotten?
This reminds me that some of those with whom I disagree are nevertheless pretty reasonable people.
I really hope this works, stokes croft is great, but tesco isn’t. its culture against dry, cold commercialism. wish i could help, i admire everone who did. good luck .
Playing your music til the early morn
When the sun is on its way
Whilst we’re lying in our beds looking all forlorn
How long you gonna stay?
Please, squatters, please piss off back home
I don’t like you anymore
I can’t wait til the day when the baliffs come
& Tescos build their store
Wearing combat shorts and anarchist tats
You look like a bunch of plonkers
Camping out on the roof of a bunch of flats
You must be raving bonkers
Jeez, squatters, jeez just leave this spot
Go do something constructive
Coz the life that you lead inside your squat
Is nothing but destructive
The PRSC – what a load of old bull
You’ve all got London accents
Our community fucking hates you all
Burn Burn inside of your tents!
Even if you are from around these parts
Who elected you our leaders?
Clogging up the path with your household parts
Ya fanny rot bottom feeders
I supported you before when it all began
But now I urge it all to stop
It’s impossible to beat the Tesco man
And who cares? It’s a fucking shop!
Leave, squatters, leave please heed my song
Give up this lame endeavour
You belong on the doll with your homemade bong
Stay away from us forever
Freedom of Speech – you are a truly disgusting sack of shit. I use the simile carefully because it gets to the heart of you are – you are SHIT on the inside, at your core. Your lame excuse for poetry is an embarassment to the literate.
I can just picture you with your sweaty brow and constipated expression, taking brakes from watching internet pornography to put up posts in favour of huge multinational corporations you don’t understand.
I imagine you’ll be the kind of twat who pops on a moderately expensive suit to take to your moderately shit job to earn a moderately shit wage. The frustration, I imagine, is too much to bear, and is thus projected outwards onto people trying to have a positive affect on the community (even if such an effort is ultimately futile).
I bet you’re the kind of jerk who likes Star Wars and wishes to go to sci-fi conventions because – and this is a sad insult to have to make, but you make it a necessary one – it is the only tincture of masculinity you ever feel.
I have, of course, assumed that you are a man. The repressed frustration is a giveaway as is the violent imagery in your “poem”.
yours sincerely,
Rosa
“I imagine you’ll be the kind of twat who pops on a moderately expensive suit to take to your moderately shit job to earn a moderately shit wage. The frustration, I imagine, is too much to bear, and is thus projected outwards onto people trying to have a positive affect on the community (even if such an effort is ultimately futile).”
Yes, the poor sod has to work twice as hard to pay council tax because, for example, the occupants of the hippy gated community with all the off-street parking in Ashley Road sure ain’t paying any. No wonder he feels like a twat, what with being lectured about ethics and sustainability by the people he’s paying for.
“I have, of course, assumed that you are a man. The repressed frustration is a giveaway as is the violent imagery in your “poem”.”
A syllogism:-
1. If it is not ok to make sexist remarks about womankind, then it is not ok to make sexist remarks about men either.
2. It is not ok to make sexist remarks about womankind
3. Therefore it is not ok to make sexist remarks about men either.
I trust that you agree with me, Rosa?
Oh. Well I thought it was quite good – a refreshing change to the usual style of posts. So it shows that its not just the PRSC gang that can turn their hand to being creative! Good on you Freedom of Speech for trying something different.
Rosa, with such a hurtful and aggressive, not to mentioned foul mouthed reply, are we to assume by your own logic that you are in fact suffering from “repressed frustration” yourself. You seem to have the “violent imagery” down to a tee.
Just because people have a different view, or perhaps different lifestyle, to yourself, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be listened to. They certainly don’t deserve to be personally insulted. Please grow up.
Oh and while we are all being nasty and patronising to each other, Rosa fyi “Freedom of Speech – you are a truly disgusting sack of shit.” is not a simile. It is a metaphor at best. But mostly it is just an insult.
True. I well remember being taught at school that a simile is a comparison using ”like’ or ‘as’.
big shout for the truly magnificent squatters !!!
we love you !
2 fingers to the Tesco supporters,
I love my community, I love my neighbours,
I love Stokes Croft,
Well, that’s me convinced. The anti-Tesco people must be right after all, if Kevin wants to give two fingers to the Tesco supporters. We must alert the media.
I seriously agree with everything richard has said.
Thanks Jamie, the respect is mutual!
Listen, I think we need to make these postings more respectful.
I don’t know who is posting – they are mostly anonymous.
I am not in favour of a Tesco in Stokes Croft and part of the reason is because I want to live in a more respectful society.
So let’s start here.
Hi Elizabeth
Even though I disagree with you about Tesco and Linden Homes, rest assured I do respect your ability to express your opinions without resorting to abuse, and fully agree with you that discourse is usually more fruitful when it is civil. Although I do revel in a bit of cut and thrust now and then, I can appreciate that it’s not to everyone’s taste.
I can see 2 guys.
The first one has been studying hard for years in order to become a successful manager. This is what he’s always wanted to achieve.
The second one has been playing guitar for years in order to become a successful guitarist. This is what he’s always wanted to achieve.
Both their targets are important, because those are THEIR targets.
Why should the guitarist prevent the manager to acheive his dream? HERE is the violence, not viceversa.
Where does all this fear for one supermarket come from? You’re admitting that the manager have worked harder than the guitarist, altough for a different target.
If it’s true that Stoke Croft doesn’t need a Tesco, that Tesco will close his door. For sure. They NEED to reach a break even point. Is it unlikely? So it means that Strokes Croft needed a Tesco. Simple.
Please do not judge me, I’m just trying to think with my own head, and I hope everybody is doing the same in these violent, sad days.
Don’t forget that shirts and ties are uniforms, but eskimos and scarfs are uniforms too.
Fear not. Some of us entirely agree with you.
tesco is the scourge of this planet. Purveyers and the biggest culprits in the rise of obesity, cancers and binge drinking. They have systematically destroyed whole comunities with their high street ‘Bulldozers’.They drive farmers and other commodity producers to the brink of ruin. I hope they rot in HELL.
“Ah. So THAT’s what this is about. Well I’m very sorry, but I don’t really want to stick it to the man, thank you. I live locally, and am asking you, can you please now stop pretending that you act in my name.”
Hmmm, not sure I like this sort of independent thought…
what are the alternative plans for the site and how quickly could they / would they be acted on? This doesn’t seem to have been mentioned anywhere. Apologies if I missed it but I’m intrigued.
If a viable, profitable, attractive alternative to Tesco could be proposed for the site, would would it help persuade those sitting on the fence.
Would it matter if the purpose remained ‘food store’ but part of a smaller chain or an independent outlet?
Stokes croft must be a town full of thugs. Cant believe anyone with half a brain would go to the extreme of ripping the shop apart. Its disgusting behavior. You are so concerned with how tesco will ruin your town but not bothered about how you have now come across to the rest of the world. Its pathetic
Why is everyone getting their knickers in such a twist?
I am not the biggest fan of Tesco or any other Supermarket for that matter. Yes they cause a lot of problems for many other people and industries BUT in times such as these they are a necessary evil.
So many comments above claim that more affordable means of living are required in the area….. Tesco is really just that! I would prefer to be able to visit local shops with local produce and have affordable housing and nice green areas for everyone but the reality of the life we live is that the kind of life all these protesters want is lets be honest – to damn expensive for the majority of folks. I can go to Tesco and get some shopping of decent quality (i can also pick up some other bits and bobs for the home i might need all in the one place) and pay for instance £30. If it was some locally produced stuf from a small private shop ….. it would be closer to £40 ….. thats a big difference to someone like me (and I expect a lot of other in this country)
So to recap – please dont think I like Tesco – I dont – but do we need them – Yes!
Just because they build it, doesn’t mean you have to shop there! A filled shop, which provides jobs for a community, and brings some life to a derelict building is a lot better than looking at a graffiti covered shutter.
hi to you all .. please dont give up your protest against tescos i live in the city and our town center is known by the name of st tescos to us locals, they came here and opened a few little stores and now we are overrun by them …to the people who think it will boost your community /think again they open 24 /7 and the small retails will close leaving TESCOS right where they want to be and you with more shops closed