Court evicts Brighton Taj squatters (From The Argus)

true-brightonian wrote:
Message to those in favour of Sainsbury's/big business. You are living in a dream world at the moment. Do you honestly believe that our way of life in this country can be sustained with our subservience to corporates and the oil-based economy? I think you may wake up from your dream once the air-freighted guavas run out when oil hits $250 a barrel as undoubtedly will in the near future. As communities we need to become more self-reliant. The Capitalist Dream is running out of steam, can't you see that the writing is on the wall for western our way of life?

true-brightonian wrote:
Message to those in favour of Sainsbury's/big business. You are living in a dream world at the moment. Do you honestly believe that our way of life in this country can be sustained with our subservience to corporates and the oil-based economy? I think you may wake up from your dream once the air-freighted guavas run out when oil hits $250 a barrel as undoubtedly will in the near future. As communities we need to become more self-reliant. The Capitalist Dream is running out of steam, can't you see that the writing is on the wall for western our way of life?

true-brightonian wrote:
Message to those in favour of Sainsbury's/big business. You are living in a dream world at the moment. Do you honestly believe that our way of life in this country can be sustained with our subservience to corporates and the oil-based economy? I think you may wake up from your dream once the air-freighted guavas run out when oil hits $250 a barrel as undoubtedly will in the near future. As communities we need to become more self-reliant. The Capitalist Dream is running out of steam, can't you see that the writing is on the wall for western our way of life?

true-brightonian wrote:
Message to those in favour of Sainsbury's/big business. You are living in a dream world at the moment. Do you honestly believe that our way of life in this country can be sustained with our subservience to corporates and the oil-based economy? I think you may wake up from your dream once the air-freighted guavas run out when oil hits $250 a barrel as undoubtedly will in the near future. As communities we need to become more self-reliant. The Capitalist Dream is running out of steam, can't you see that the writing is on the wall for western our way of life?

true-brightonian wrote:
It's a sad but depressing fact that the Argus comments seem to be a haven for mouthy neo-cons. I wonder how many of them are the same person posting right-wing nonsense from different accounts? Are you astroturfers? http://www.guardian. co.uk/environment/ge orgemonbiot/2011/feb /23/need-to-protect- internet-from-astrot urfing

Joshiman wrote:
Ban squatters rights.It is an antiquated law.

leobrighton wrote:
There is already a perfectly good library with childrens space about 200 yards away called the jubilee library just across the road to the right of the pavilion. If you have trouble finding it just ask anyone.

superlative wrote:
"No one wants another Sainsbury's." Some people do, as they commented on previous stories. You just didn't bother to ask, or didn't care.

I love Sussex wrote:
Good, go and get a job do something useful with your lives, bloody layabouts workshy idiots.

Bennn wrote:

leobrighton wrote:
There is already a perfectly good library with childrens space about 200 yards away called the jubilee library just across the road to the right of the pavilion. If you have trouble finding it just ask anyone.

There is also a brand new Sainsburys about 200 yards away up North street. And a Morrisons a few yards away. And a Tesco express too. And a Co-op. Who will be expanding soon. And yet another Co-op just up the road. If you have trouble finding them just ask anyone.

Bennn wrote:

I love Sussex wrote: Good, go and get a job do something useful with your lives, bloody layabouts workshy idiots.

There is really something wrong with you mate. THEY are the ones doing something useful with their lives, fighting back against greedy supermarket chains transforming Brighton into yet another clone town. YOU are the lazy and vicious layabout. All you do is spend your days posting comments full of hate on this website. Haven't you got anything better and more productive to do? You don't even live in Brighton, so please stay in your boring little town and leave us brightonians alone.

rolivan wrote:
Two points how can a relatively small business run up millions of pounds in debt and why don't these protesters put all Their efforts into DOING SOME REAL WORK

Isabel wrote:

Joshiman wrote: Ban squatters rights.It is an antiquated law.

Agree. Sainsburys or not, can someone explain to me why should squatters then be allowed to be somewhere that doesn't belong to them? Same with the old 'Lewes Road Community Garden', it was occupied by people who had no rights to be there! It seems that now it is seen by some that squatters have a right to be there illegally just because some people do not want another shop, it doesn't make any sense. Glad they have gone and hope they put the old Taj site to good use, Sainsburys or not but no a squat!

Rachelle Howard wrote:
Save our streets from supermarket chain stores! Many advocates, community leaders & local people across the city agree on this matter. They have fought against it in Portland Rd., Lewes Rd & now here. The planning rules need to be changed to stop this continuing. I'd rather have local traders maintaining diversity and offering choice than more chain stores. Council cabinet, although listening, have their hands tied by the current planning laws. We need to campaign not only to local government but also to central government on this issue and, several local advocacy groups are joining together to continue to do so. I am really shocked at the judgemental comments being made here.

Rachelle Howard wrote:
Save our streets from supermarket chain stores! Many advocates, community leaders & local people across the city agree on this matter. They have fought against it in Portland Rd., Lewes Rd & now here. The planning rules need to be changed to stop this continuing. I'd rather have local traders maintaining diversity and offering choice than more chain stores. Council cabinet, although listening, have their hands tied by the current planning laws. We need to campaign not only to local government but also to central government on this issue and, several local advocacy groups are joining together to continue to do so. I am really shocked at the judgemental comments being made here.

Adskikavitch wrote:
The comments supporting a new Sainsbury's astound me, can some of you please explain how it's going to be beneficial to the area?

Often when I'm in Manchester I like to visit the curry mile but in Brighton we're on the verge of becoming the first city with a mile of supermarkets. When Taj owned the store at least they were offering a range of products that were quite different from Morrisons (a mere 50 yards up the road).

Now walking from my house in Kemptown to Hove I will walk past St George's Road's Co-Op and Mulberry's (another chain on the rise), then as I head down St James' Street it'll be another Co-Op first, then a Tesco, then a Morrisons then (if permission is granted) a brand new Sainsbury's.

Continue up North Street past Co-Op #3 (or is that a Marrisons?) and Sainsbury's #2 before heading along Western Road for another Sainsbury's, Taj and Waitrose (that's if I decided not to head up Dyke Road for another couple of Co-Ops or turn right toward the library for another Tesco's, the new Sainsbury's behind St. Barts and the London Road Co-Op and Aldi (which was until quite recently another Sainsbury's)... I've not even gone into Hove or up the Lewes Road and I'm drowning in supermarkets. They're everywhere...

Why do we need more? It's not like they offer different products, just copying each others own brand range stocked next to 'popular' brands.

Someone please tell me what the benefit is? What will this Sainsbury's do that their North Street branch doesn't provide? What's it for? Why?

Okay, come on here and rant about how much you hate squatters and other layabouts if you like but please if you're doing so in support of another supermarket chain please explain it's use to the community. Cos you all failed to give one reason.

I didn't want the place developed into a crusty creche or whatever those squatters were planning but there's got to be something we actually need that can go there... oh, I know - we appear to have a shortage of coffee shops (grrr)

Ashles wrote:

Rachelle Howard wrote:
Save our streets from supermarket chain stores! Many advocates, community leaders & local people across the city agree on this matter. They have fought against it in Portland Rd., Lewes Rd & now here. The planning rules need to be changed to stop this continuing. I'd rather have local traders maintaining diversity and offering choice than more chain stores. Council cabinet, although listening, have their hands tied by the current planning laws. We need to campaign not only to local government but also to central government on this issue and, several local advocacy groups are joining together to continue to do so. I am really shocked at the judgemental comments being made here.

And what would you say to those who have said they actually would like a Sainsbury's there?
That they are wrong?

LonnyCoyne wrote:

rolivan wrote:
Two points how can a relatively small business run up millions of pounds in debt and why don't these protesters put all Their efforts into DOING SOME REAL WORK

This is an example of what seems to be a common viewpoint, I actually know some of these people and your assumption is incorrect. Most of these people have jobs or are studying at college or university they are not typical squatters who are just trying to get a free ride whilst appearing to care about politics and the environment. One of the members of this group lives in Eastbourn goes to college and works it is incredibly difficult and time consuming for him to take part in this movement but he cares about what they are doing so he is sacrificing his time and effort to take part, how many of you can say you have made a similar effort for something you believe in? Whatever your opinions regarding the politics of what they are doing, try to have some respect for young people actually caring about something and trying to make a difference in their community, it’s all to rare and not to be disregarded or looked down on.

Ashles wrote:

Rachelle Howard wrote:
Save our streets from supermarket chain stores! Many advocates, community leaders & local people across the city agree on this matter. They have fought against it in Portland Rd., Lewes Rd & now here. The planning rules need to be changed to stop this continuing. I'd rather have local traders maintaining diversity and offering choice than more chain stores. Council cabinet, although listening, have their hands tied by the current planning laws. We need to campaign not only to local government but also to central government on this issue and, several local advocacy groups are joining together to continue to do so. I am really shocked at the judgemental comments being made here.

And what would you say to those who have said they actually would like a Sainsbury's there?
That they are wrong?

disgruntledHove wrote:
No surprise that Taj did not do well on that corner of that street.!! Too many supermarkets selling too many 'ready meals' and too many fastfood outlets and expensive, 'independant' rubbishy cake cafe's in the area...Taj with its fresh fruit and 'funny vegetables'(to some) didn't stand a chance. Lets have a boring Sainsbury's to feed the poor and hungry.. Lets have more food places and more obese people waddling around with more obese kids and obese dogs. St James Str needs a proper shop..like Woolworths type of shop instead of more mouth stuffing encouragement. Nobody NEEDS a Sainsbury's in this part of sussex..or another Tesco or another Stuff Yer Belly type of outlet. The nation is obsessed with food. Howabout a mini DIY outlet for those who do not have cars to go to the outskirts of town, or a decent clothing shop that sells clothes without spikes and studs??

niknaknok wrote:

Ashles wrote:

Rachelle Howard wrote:
Save our streets from supermarket chain stores! Many advocates, community leaders & local people across the city agree on this matter. They have fought against it in Portland Rd., Lewes Rd & now here. The planning rules need to be changed to stop this continuing. I'd rather have local traders maintaining diversity and offering choice than more chain stores. Council cabinet, although listening, have their hands tied by the current planning laws. We need to campaign not only to local government but also to central government on this issue and, several local advocacy groups are joining together to continue to do so. I am really shocked at the judgemental comments being made here.

And what would you say to those who have said they actually would like a Sainsbury's there?
That they are wrong?

The people that say they would like a sainsburys there are saying that for the sake of it, so that they feel justified in the generic drivvel they have been writing on here. No sane person can see a need for another sainsburys there. However most of the capitalists are right and it's highly unlikely anything else could afford to open up there, and its all about money folks!
I'm sure the squatters could have stayed had they been wealthy enough...

true-brightonian wrote:
Dear Ashles and other simple-minded reactionaries,

The petition "Keep Brighton Unique" is not on Facebook and has nothing to do with Baldrick. It is an official petition on the city council website. Over 1200 have signed the motion for a full city council debate to take place. If you do not believe this, go to the council website yourself: http://present.brigh

ton-hove.gov.uk/mgEP

etitionDisplay.aspx?

ID=184&RPID=9862
30&H
PID=986230

A few more facts:

* Taj went out of business not because it didn't make enough money. No, its parent company went broke. The shop was doing fine.

* Many of the Sabotajers are employed or are full-time students. Characterising them all as "layabouts" is just stupid, other things are at stake here.

* They have not caused the damage you rant about. In any case, I am sure the new owners would have to refurbish anyway, as most of the building is derelict. It's wasn't in a fit state for Sainsbury's to move into anyway.

* Not having a job does not mean you have no say in anything. About 10% of the population is unemployed, but less than half the UK population actually works (see www.statistics.gov.u

k/cci/nugget.asp?id=

12 if you don't believe me). Therefore to say that if you don't have a job you have to keep your mouth shut is just nonsense. I work, but I accept that many who don't (students, pensioners, disabled, full-time mothers, etc.) should be allowed to have an opinion.

* Companies like Sainsburys (or ASDA, Waitrose, etc.) do nothing for local people. The so-called "jobs" they create are mostly minimum wage. Their profits do not benefit local people in any way.

* The Sabotajers are not protesting to bring back Taj. They just want there to be a public debate before yet another multi-national buys up this town.

* Taj is not exactly a "chain" the way Sainsburys is. I think they have 2 stores? Get real.

Have some local pride and think for yourself. If people wanted to go to a place full of nothing but chain stores, they'd go to Bugress Hill. Or Crawley. Or Worthing, even.

Ashles wrote:
Adskikavitch, supermarket and chain store competition is hardly new. Your strange set of assumptions of what is about to happen (BTW internet shopping seems to have damaged chain stores more than independents, just look at HMV) doesn't make sense. Even it is was it's hard to imagine what set of rules you would want to instigate instead. Clearly you think Sainsbury's is bad. But presumably only over a certain number - it seems you would permit some. And then what size and type of business is allowed? it seems you would permit Taj (itself a chain) but it's okay because their range of exotic food was wider than Sainsbury's. I really can't follow what you are proposing beyond that you think supermarkets are greedy (because they want to maximise profits, and somehow other business don't?) and wealthy landowners for some reason should have less right to choose what to do with their own land. Please, let us know your alternative. (Obviously it would need to be an alternative that removes choice from consumers, but I'm interested in the rest of the details).

Bennn wrote:

I love Sussex wrote:
Good, go and get a job do something useful with your lives, bloody layabouts workshy idiots.

There is really something wrong with you mate. THEY are the ones doing something useful with their lives, fighting back against greedy supermarket chains transforming Brighton into yet another clone town. YOU are the lazy and vicious layabout. All you do is spend your days posting comments full of hate on this website. Haven't you got anything better and more productive to do? You don't even live in Brighton, so please stay in your boring little town and leave us brightonians alone.

JHunty wrote:
Well it didnt take long for the pro protestors to turn nasty, calling people names, like neo cons, reactionaries, Im suprised that Brunswicker bloke didnt come on and call everyone Nazis like he usually does. But this raises an interesting point, why is it that the type of person who supports the likes of sabo-taj are so narrow minded and vicious as to be unable to allow any one the right to disagree with them?
Here are some facts for you,
1) You are not protesting you are posing, the people in Libya are protesting
2) There are no consequences to your actions so youre not brave or risking anything, none of you have been made homeless now you have been evicted, even though this protest started with a criminal act, none of you will be held to account for that or the damage you have done to the shop.
3) We have a mechanism for dealing with shops we dont like, dont shop there
4) You dont have an alternative to the way our society is currently organised, stealing someone elses property is hardly a good business model or a sustainble system for society to base itself on
5) You dont have a mandate to behave in the way you do and people get sick of people like yourselves trying to circumvent the law and our democratic system
6) You were never going to build a school or a community centre, just lies
what sort of ethics do you have that allows you to ignore your own criminal behaviour whist highlighting other peoples short comings?
I believe in society and that it gives great benefits to those who are members of that society, that in turn obligates you to obey the rules everyone else follows and to give something back, which you dont do by sitting on your arse on the dole nor by living a parasitical existence on the back of the rest of us with an alternative society that simply takes from the rest of us without giving anything back.
You seem to have forgotten that the years when labour spent more than they took in taxes had to end at some point.

JHunty wrote:
Well it didnt take long for the pro protestors to turn nasty, calling people names, like neo cons, reactionaries, Im suprised that Brunswicker bloke didnt come on and call everyone Nazis like he usually does. But this raises an interesting point, why is it that the type of person who supports the likes of sabo-taj are so narrow minded and vicious as to be unable to allow any one the right to disagree with them? Here are some facts for you, 1) You are not protesting you are posing, the people in Libya are protesting 2) There are no consequences to your actions so youre not brave or risking anything, none of you have been made homeless now you have been evicted, even though this protest started with a criminal act, none of you will be held to account for that or the damage you have done to the shop. 3) We have a mechanism for dealing with shops we dont like, dont shop there 4) You dont have an alternative to the way our society is currently organised, stealing someone elses property is hardly a good business model or a sustainble system for society to base itself on 5) You dont have a mandate to behave in the way you do and people get sick of people like yourselves trying to circumvent the law and our democratic system 6) You were never going to build a school or a community centre, just lies what sort of ethics do you have that allows you to ignore your own criminal behaviour whist highlighting other peoples short comings? I believe in society and that it gives great benefits to those who are members of that society, that in turn obligates you to obey the rules everyone else follows and to give something back, which you dont do by sitting on your arse on the dole nor by living a parasitical existence on the back of the rest of us with an alternative society that simply takes from the rest of us without giving anything back. You seem to have forgotten that the years when labour spent more than they took in taxes had to end at some point.

true-brightonian wrote:
Wow, it is so depressing reading some of the comments on this page. I hope you are all paid by Sainsburys to waste your time posting messages here, because if you're not, I think you need help.

true-brightonian wrote:
Wow, it is so depressing reading some of the comments on this page. I hope you are all paid by Sainsburys to waste your time posting messages here, because if you're not, I think you need help.

Rachelle Howard wrote:
Similar campaigns are springing up all over the country. People do not want supermarket chain stores taking over our high streets. The majority want to maintain diversity. Many councillors and MPs agree with this point of view.
Perhaps the like-minded should all join forces, to have a lounder voice and, lobby central government, to look at the planning laws and see whether we can get them amended re: chain store supermarket applications. Thus stop this 'takeover' once and for all!
Facebook campaigns do work - look at the 'selling off our Forests' turnaround.
People do have power and the right to exercise it. The difference is that we all do it in our own different ways. Some may be right, some may be wrong. Yet who are we to judge, are we so perfect ourselves? There really is no need to get personal nor be offensive.
Celebrate our differences, it is what makes us unique as human beings! Particularly being British and especially being Brightonian.

heartthrob wrote:
Sainsburys have a lovely little starbucks on the lewes road branch. Hopefully we get one of these too.xx

iceman00 wrote:
Idiot brigade of right wing losers all come out to comment on the Argus story again. Brighton would be a better place if you all packed up and moved to worthing. I really don't want a sainsburys there. Morrisons is 50 yards away!! Squatters don't claim benefits you bunch of fascists.

deve wrote:
A Sainsbury and a Startbucks - Hmm maybe I should move down Kemp Town way. The place is certainly improving now the squatters have gone

mr_gee wrote:
Well, there are two issues here. One is reclaiming commercially-owned property for public use, in which case I agree that is a pipe-dream unless the local council want to hand over some money for it. The second issue is the preservation of Brighton's unique and independent character and stopping it from becoming a bland and soulless clone town. This is something I believe we should be fighting against. Just because it's legal for a coorporation to put a store on every street corner in the land, doesn't mean it's right or that it should happen. We protect listed buildings against destructive alterations so why not whole towns?

Rachelle Howard wrote:

Rachelle Howard wrote:
Similar campaigns are springing up all over the country. People do not want supermarket chain stores taking over our high streets. The majority want to maintain diversity. Many councillors and MPs agree with this point of view.
Perhaps the like-minded should all join forces, to have a lounder voice and, lobby central government, to look at the planning laws and see whether we can get them amended re: chain store supermarket applications. Thus stop this 'takeover' once and for all!
Facebook campaigns do work - look at the 'selling off our Forests' turnaround.
People do have power and the right to exercise it. The difference is that we all do it in our own different ways. Some may be right, some may be wrong. Yet who are we to judge, are we so perfect ourselves? There really is no need to get personal nor be offensive.
Celebrate our differences, it is what makes us unique as human beings! Particularly being British and especially being Brightonian.

If you object to Supermarket chains stores taking over our Streets please go to the following link and sign the Open letter to Mary Mears (Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council) about changing National planning laws to prevent this from continuing. http://www.gopetitio

n.com/petition/43373

/sign.html
Thank you.