Looks like we are getting a new supermarket in Pound Street, opposite Jewsons. I believe it is to be a Co-op.

Yes it was mentioned on the other site some time ago. Haven't seen it on the NWN site though - it's almost as though their journalists can't be bothered to search for a story.

Probably to WBC and NTC's advantage they don't want people continuing to discover their mistakes.

Presumably in the old Pine and Cane, then. I expect the owners will be glad to let it after so long.

Perhaps the prospect of another supermarket is so mundane that even the NWN don't deem it news!

Nationally I would have thought that Co-Op would have generated news. Even if only for Flowers ,Funerals,& Flops.
ce

It would fit well round here then, West Berkshire, F-----REDACTED-------

Why
It's not like there are enough bloody shops around anyway.......

With all he COOP's well documented financial/management problems, would have thought another retail store,
was last thing they needed.

I see in NWN that a local minority/ faith group (begins & ends with "M") objecting as they will be selling booze;
well done to Cllr Beck for rejecting these concerns for the convenience of the majority.
Also some comment on their disdain for not attending on time.

I do not want this groups often bigoted/well documented views/practices/intolerance etc., starting to be
integrated into Newbury's decision making; I hope we won't see more actions when the Coop opens.

2 Doctors of that persuasion being prosecuted I see today on BBC News, for "FGM"; one of first such cases;
shockingly these illegal operations on females, were carried out in a NHS London hospital.

Isn't it quite reasonable that they opposed the sale of alcohol?

I would expect a Catholic Church to oppose the construction of a casino or 'gentleman's club' opposite their premises too.

But I do agree with the decision that was reached.

Well most Indian restaurants sell booze, and I know a lot of Muslims who are prepared to visit a pub with me even thought they don't partake of alcohol.

That is a great place to have a supermarket. Hidden out of the way. I am sure people will flock there; great for those that believe in anonymity.

Like Claude I felt the Bangladeshi church's objection was perfectly valid and understandable, and I also felt it was right to dismiss their objection.

I did however think that the chair of the committee was unnecessarily hostile to the church delegation by attacking them for being late. It just seemed arrogant and boorish for the chair of the committee to critique the delegation. Alcohol abuse is the source of significant social ills and I applaud the church's principled position, in principle if not in practice. I find it depressing that engaging with our local councils is always such a bruising affair.

That could well be because they're most likely to be either Hindus or Sikhs. Dimwit.

It's not a church , it's a residential property that started off as a Bangladeshi Welfare Centre and has somehow transformed by stealth into a Mosque, Prayer Centre, or "children’s centre for the local Muslim community" depending on who asks at the time.

It's still a Welfare Centre as far as I know, but it just happens to be one where Muslims gather in numbers on a Friday midday for a group hug. It shouldn't be granted any special status or be allowed this creeping change into a formal mosque.... The owner/occupiers also shouldn't be allowed to determine who may or may not trade in that part of town. They have every right to object but it doesn't mean that their view should hold sway and it also doesn't mean that Cllr Beck should feel intimidated into making a decision pandering to their views for fear of otherwise being branded anti-Muslim.

There are many shops that are run by Muslims that trade during hours when many other shops are shut. Few of them are alcohol-free zones. Muslims like to make money just as much as the next man.

The double standards of some religious zealots, be they Bible Bashers or Koran Thumpers , is often quite staggering but this probably isn't the right place.


I don't suppose there will be many tears shed, but I also don't see why he felt the need to make such a comment. Religious intolerance works both ways.

Sarcasm isn't your strong point...

I think you'll be surprised. I take it you don't live in that part of town? I have relatives in that area who are always moaning how badly served they are for a local corner shop, whereas every other street in Thatcham seems to have a Tesco Express.. There's the Fifth Road Stores (Best One) opposite Salcombe Road, but apart from that you have to traipse all they way into town and it's parking restrictions if you want some last minute items, or the milk's turned sour....

That's a lot of homes that would benefit and soon they'll have somewhere to pick up another 6-pack of beers in an evening when you've run out and the footie's on! My relative's are looking forward to it opening I'm sure (the Fifth Road Store shuts at 8.30pm, which has been a pain in the past for evening impromptu summer bbqs when the alcohol has run out...

Assuming that the Welfare Centre has planning permission to operate as such (and it would be ironic if it didn't) then it'll have use class "D1 Non-residential institutions", and that use class also includes places of worship. Other than planning permission there is no other state control over where a church can operate, and so there is no requirement for a welfare centre to be granted permission to change into a church, by creeping or otherwise.

It wasn't granted any special status, and Jeff Beck didn't pander to their views, but I don't see how it was necessary for Jeff Beck to critique the presentation of the argument.

He said "If you want lack of respect, they turned up half-an-hour late to the meeting with no apologies or acknowledgement..."

That wasn't material to the decision, and to my mind saying so was simply boorish.

He also said: "It was not as if it was a licence for a pub where people could sit and drink next to the mosque ,that would be different. This is for the sale of takeaway liquor."

That was what mattered, and IMHO the committee took the right decision.

The majority are actually Bangladeshi and Muslim.

Yes, and not only that, yet another example of the uncouth councillors we seem to breed!

What would be wrong with: 'We appreciate that members of the public might find the sale of alcohol objectionable, however, I see no grounds to refused this license.' and leave it at that.

A decent Co-op could well make a go of it round here, particularly if it's modelled on the West Country approach, quite 'green' and local. Equally, if the Co-op can get its act together and go back to its roots and original ratonale.