Tesco... “Every Little Helps” so the slogan says yet I cannot get the fact that I despise the brand out of my head.
Without there seeming a running trend of supermarkets in my column, I saw a news piece which revealed that the middle class, up market and financially safe Yorkshire town of Harrogate has been blessed with one of these commerical monstrosities.
Harrogate was the only postcode area in Britain not to have a full OVERSIZED Tesco in its surroundings... however as officially within the last week I’m afraid it has been forced kicking and screaming into now being labelled a town “the same as anywhere else”
Back in 2004 Tesco chiefs paid 3.4 million pounds for a space of land within the down so that they could introduce their ever expanding brand to a more “high class living” area. Nothing has happened since 2004 due to a strong public battle and outrage this brought to the well of community and quite rightly not want a large red neon sign spoiling the high class surroundings. The planning committee however have now been given a revised scheme by Tesco and have given it the thumbs up to go ahead. Despite finalisation's and the final approval having to come from a full council meeting and the fact that the Health and Safety executive can publicly appeal... I think it is safe to say that the battle is finally over and once again the largely over sized company has barged its way in where it is not wanted.
The fact is mere public petitions don’t achieve anything, nobody listens and no matter whom you are you shall struggle to tackle a large company with a status such as Tesco. Towns such as Harrogate should not be forced to have a supermarket if they don’t want one, it is a town of sheer class and elegance... something of which is lacking in most other parts of the country in today’s times. The official facts and figures of Harrogate show that the population was up last year by just over a thousand and yes, anti social behavior was slightly up in the figures however to nowhere near the state of what the rest of the country is. It is a different world, a different class of people and I for one admire that. The likes of Betty’s tea room has an elegant, sophisticated and charming nature about it... something of which couldn’t be repeated elsewhere. The idyllic surrounding of an up market place to go for afternoon tea, where you get given a china cup with a saucer with of course the finest English tea... along with a cream cake and a doily. Of course the norm elsewhere is some cheap and cheerful back street chip shop were the smell of grease and oil is apparent as soon as you enter the door. Blackpool is a prime example of opposite when comparing to Harrogate, in-fact no comparison. Albeit the Yorkshire town surrounded in its own snobbery it is a different class of living and I for one think it is important for places such as that to exist and differ from the rest of the commercial high street ruled forgotten towns.
In defense of supermarkets they are indeed convenient, yet convenient doesn’t mean “class” but indeed they are successful as otherwise they wouldn’t have millions of pounds of profit every year. Yet to interfere with the workings of a town which is still existing by its original morals and beliefs I see to be quite sad, especially when the locals have been against the build for 7 years.
Even though Harrogate residents have probably lost their long running battle with Tesco, I hope other modifications and changes do not follow suit. I could not abide the thought of a pound shop in Harrogate! we need towns like this to survive, if not for our own sake, certainly for Britain!
Leigh has recently been blessed with a new Tesco! a different ball game of course, compared to Harrogate! but even in Leigh, surely they have enough supermarkets and places to get food and household items without the need for yet another Tesco to be added to the region count?
is it any wonder when people now see the St. George’s flag we now associate it with chavs and a booze filled evening with many profanities coming from one anothers mouths? One certainly isn’t surprised!
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