Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

Basically it says your wrong rindy and gayle ab shaker and spuggie are right.
Also I didn't say anything about Rawtenstall, I said 'rawtenstall claim to have', and I asked if it's the biggest, because I think they claim that too.

I don't need to visit your market to know what national trends are. The national trend is that markets are not as popular as they were, regardless of wether they've been moved or not. Thats due to supermarkets and a change in peoples shopping habits. Moving a market usually makes it more popular, and thats based on what happens nationally not just in accy. People like the 'new-ness' of it.
My comments about your market are based on whats been said on here, in this thread and other market threads.

Atherstone will never be the new hay-on-wye, it will be the new Atherstone, a unique booktown full of character. Why would we want to be the new hay-on-wye, why want to be another town, when A town can be itself. Why would you want accy to be Burnley or Blackburn, you've got high street shops, Woolworths, M&S etc why would you want the same shops as you've got a few miles that way, and that way and down in bury.
When you lot say your going shopping for the day, where do you go? accy or burnley? The answer is probably burnley.
People from rawtenstall will probably go accy and Burnley
People from Burnley will go blackburn
People from Burnley and Blackburn are unlikely to go to accy or rawtenstall. Blackburn probably go to Preston.
Based on that, it's very difficult to get people to go to a small town. Why would they, even if you had some high street shops, you don't go out to a small town for the day if you can get what it offers in a big town. Offer something different that’s not in the big towns and it changes everything, small unique shops, nice quaint interesting shopping area. That’s what Atherstone is aiming for. Atherstone is sandwiched between two towns, Tamworth 9 miles, and Nuneaton 4 miles, both better, especially Tamworth, which has excellent in town and a well designed out of town centre. We're surrounded by walsall, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and derby. so we stand no chance of having high street shops.
One town that goes against this theory is Rawtenstall, it's a small town, yet has high street shops. I'm assuming that that’s because of it's gyratory towns and the valley, but it is rare.

Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

Well I think Mad we will have to agree to disagree.

You think you are right, I KNOW I'm right.:):D

Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

Well I suppose that there is little point in crying over spilt milk. What's done is done and whether we approve or not, ASDA is here and shows little inclination to go away.

How then do we skew the playing field back in favour of the small independent retailer?

BRITCLIFFE, TAKE NOTE!

The first step is obvious; USE ASDA LESS. The markets and the independents may charge a few pennies more for the same items but your extra pennies will help keep people in business, protect jobs and keep the market alive. Never has the adage "USE IT, OR LOOSE IT" been more pertinent.

Planning can also be used as a weapon, because government inquiries and interference will do nothing to help we must try and persuade the planning comittee that kow-towing to the major chains is not and never was a good idea.

Planning could relax parking restrictions in the town centre making ASDA's carpark less attractive.

Planning could also turn down applications for extensions.

Planning could also reject the recent re-application from Peel Holdings for the Whitebirk site.

Planning could ban the garish plastic signeage which is employed by the major chains and which makes every high street look like every other high street.

Planning could also halt the applications for change of use on retail premises to stop the inexorable march of Solicitors offices and Estate Agencies.

And lastly, ADVERTISE THE MARKET! What is the point of having one of the few remaining Victorian Market Halls if nobody knows it's here?


Just a few thoughts, maybe other members could come up with a few more.

Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

Well Parking does put people off, especially me if i have to pay, my money is precious, it could go towards something usefull.

Advertising is important, but hwat are you advertising. Is it worth advertising in its present state. Our market is in dire need of something. It's been full several times, it's been advertised. people came. And then the market died again.
Our local paper today... Tamworth herald

Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

Planning *cannot* be used as a weapon it can only be used to control within pre-defined policies.

A planning committee must have policies, that are in line with both Regional and National policies. Local policies can flavour a national/regional policy but it cannot be contrary to a Regional or National policy.

If a planning committe rejects a planning aplication and that rejection is seen by a Government Inspector to be malicious then not ony will the Government Inspector allow the planning applicaiton but can make HBC pay all the costs incurred by the person who put in the application and that could amount to thousands of pounds because lawyers and barristers get involved.

Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

Was gonna say that bill but thought better of it. We objected to aldi, because some councillors saw that it wouldn't be a benefit to the town as it was but it got overidden at a national level

Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

What then is the point of having a planning comittee? And while we are at it, what is the point of having a council? Who's bloody town is this, ours or the multinationals?

Can it be any wonder that people get urined off with politics and politicians.

Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/pr131103.htm co-op has converted it's entire coffee stock to fair trade.

Re: Fairtrade Fortnight
 

also http://www.co-op.co.uk/fairtrade/