Now we are having to pay for it, and with this new government scourging the poor to pay the debts of the rich, we will end up paying for the banks' mistakes twice over. The first time when the last (New Labour) government bailed them out with our public money, and the second time now the present (Conservative-LibDem) government has to find the money to try to repay the huge national debt. (No Chance!).
With all the money we are wasting in our American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we could use it to help repay a bit of the interest of the national debt without having to bleed dry our working people and those on benefits. Every year our troops were in Iraq cost us around £2 Billion, and Afghanistan is costing around £2.6 Billion annually, with the costs expected to rise as more troops are committed in future. "The budgetary cost to the UK of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through 2010 will total more than £18 billion. If we include the social costs, the total impact on the UK will exceed £20 billion". Figures taken from 'The Three Trillion Dollar War' by Economists Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes.
You can read more about the ghastly costs of these wars on the BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11107739
(Local) Supermarkets.
I can't honestly see how Tesco are going to make their new shop pay in Abington Street. Okay, the land is in a prime area for future growth in value, if they've bought the land. But it will be very difficult to make the shop pay. Nobody is going to come into the town centre to use it, so all it will do is try to take a slice of whatever trade is already present in the town centre, which isn't a lot, believe me.
My Gear is Cheaper...
I suppose they'll start off with some loss-leaders to get everyone in for the first couple of weeks, or even months. I don't think they'll better our market prices in the long run. Look at my gear just recently - Lemons and Limes at 10 for £1, bowl of Sweet Potatoes £1, bowl of Apples £1, Pineapples 80p and £1, I could go on and on. Do a price check; come down to the market and check my prices, then go up to Sainsburys and compare like with like, weight for weight. They just can't compete! And I don't expect Tesco to be much cheaper than Sainsburys, except on occasional loss leader offers. These supermarkets like to say they are the same price as each other, they don't say they are cheaper. Bit fishy that, isn't it? Stinks of price-rigging if you ask me.
Throwing down the Gauntlet...
I'll throw down the gauntlet to Tesco: Try and consistently sell the same gear as me, week after week, at lower prices! They won't be able to do it; you'll see them start off full of fire and bullshine, and then watch them decline over the first year or so. They'll try competing with the market to start with, but they'll have to give it best after a few months, they won't be able to subsidise their new branch for ever. Only a few hundred yards from my stalls, remember! But I bet they get through some managers, one after another, in an effort to make the shop pay.
Watch Out, Bakery Shops!
One area where the Tesco shop might damage existing town centre shops is in the baking trade. If they have a large in-shop bakery producing a big variety of bread and cakes they could make things hot for the existing town centre bread and bakery shops, especially in the take-out fancy cakes, cream cakes, hot pastries and snacks department. For some office workers around the town centre quality will still be king, and I don't see these people deserting Mr Adams in a hurry. For others, counting their pennies, Tesco's bakery may prove a tempting attraction.
Right, I think I've got through my last lot of notes now. Written on brown paper bags they are, as they come to mind while I'm on the stalls. Keep trying to use a note book to get my thoughts into, but they get lost so easily. Maybe the lads pick 'em up on their way to the necessary, in case there's no paper there. Brown bags are a lot harder, of course, so I'm safe with them...
