March - many thanks to all who made it happen. All 350 + of you.
350 people made a presence that put paid to recent rumours of a “vociferous minority” of supermarket protesters. It was a strong turnout which met with no opposition views and represented concerned individuals of all ages from Oswestry and it’s surroundings. This was a definite message that many are tired and angry at having the future of what is a market town dictated by supermarket retailers and developers and by elected councillors that are so in thrall to them that they have little vision for the town as a community and economic entity in the changing times that are facing us.
The arguments and reasons have been discussed many times in these back pages, and if the process after a planning decision on the 18th March is to go to appeal, as expected, then these arguments will have to be refined and honed further. But for now, the fact remains that 350 people gave up their Saturday morning for their voices to be heard and their actions seen. Many thanks to all.
OS21
IS A GROUP DEDICATED TO PROMOTING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF OSWESTRY IN THE
21ST CENTURY
March 6th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Never knew so many cared! Great to see Oswestry come alive. If all those people used the market every Saturday morning, how great would that be?!
March 6th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
What a great day!
March 6th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
I was told the numbers grew to 400 plus! I think it was 350 at the beginning. This was from a short burst of advertising via email and poster, that many will have missed.
I shared my banner with a woman I didn’t know - she told me that she had only heard of the march this morning, and had come from LLangollen where lives because she felt so strongly that Oswestry should not go the way of Wrexham. What she can’t buy in Llangollen she comes here for, not Wrexham.
March 6th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Great morning.
Put your cheque book away Tesco - OSWESTRY IS NOT FOR SALE!
March 6th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
So great to see so many people, of all ages, showing their support!
March 7th, 2010 at 3:17 am
Well done all, and a huge thank you for supporting Oswestry and it’s independent traders. Fab turn out for an ‘insignificant, unrepresentative few’! We are not few, not insignificant, and we have shown we are a fair and true representation of the town from young to old.
But remember the battle is not over, the word of mouth must continue, tell everyone you know what is happening in Oswestry and if they haven’t objected yet there is still a week to have their opinion heard.
Thank you again for your continued support and don’t forget to keep talking about it!
March 7th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Yeah - a vociferous minority! How funny is that? Frankly, I’ve yet to speak to anyone who thinks Oswestry does need another supermarket!
Great march and so nice to meet lovely people who care for the town.
March 9th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
I think you have put the wind up Burbidges, just been reading the support comments most start with the words ‘i am a resident of oswestry’ and many have an email signature from burbidges, they have obviously ‘encouraged’ places like the marches and W&NS college, the fire station to send in letters of support for burbidges if not the location of a supermarket.
If i worked at burbidges i would also feel that my job mattered and if i was encouraged to send a letter of support im sure i would
March 12th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Yes, the Tesco media machine is working full time (for that’s what we are talking about NOT Burbidges).
This shows how effective opposition against another Supermarket has been and how these giants fear us little people when we get together.
I have been reading in the Shropshire Star that the Tesco/RB plans have promised the Border Gymnastics a ” former Cambrian Railways building” and that they have the support of ” 500 gymnasts” for this as a Supermarket site. People are questioning whether these buildings are theirs to give, a’ small ‘detail, but then:
“Tesco, every little LIE helps ” ?
March 12th, 2010 at 10:47 am
it should read :” have the support of 500 gymnasts ” for their supermarket site.
March 12th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Issue resolved with a little research. The lovely gymnasts are already using the
” promised” buildings which do belong to the R.Burbidge company. Let’s hope they’ll have many more happy years there and succeed at the highest levels.
As for being suspicious of Tesco before the truth was found, hope one can be forgiven in view of their reputation.
A lesson for young and old….
March 12th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Keep the protests alive! The tide WILL turn! Let Tesco know they have shot themselves in the foot when we say: ‘Every Little Helps’. J. Ross/ Pickstocks are helping kill this town. Send them to HELL!!!
March 13th, 2010 at 10:03 am
I think Smallfish is wrong when s/he says this is the Tesco machine working hard, rather than Burbidge. Its both. Burbidge has a lot of extra profit to lose. What won’t be lost from this is jobs. That is a totally false claim. Is is widely understood in the workforce that they will be moving production to Chirk (and China). These plans were probably formed long before Tesco made its pitch.
If the letters of support from Burbidge workers were genuine they would have appeared on the Council website long ago.
March 14th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Define ‘Hypocrisy’ - the Pickstock-owned Smithfield Hotel with ‘Save Our Town From Developers’ posters inside their windows! Saw them today! Check it out! What next? Tesco asking us to support Morrisons?!? Up the small shops and long live the fight!!!