When I read your article ‘Duchy of Cornwall working with Waitrose to open Store’ (West Briton April 1) I thought I had finally spotted your April Fool’s joke on your readers. I am still not totally convinced it is not a joke, but thought to write just in case……..!
If the article is not a hoax, it looks like Waitrose and the Duchy’s PR departments have gone into overdrive since your article on March 4th. I know Waitrose is every middle class, liberal minded person’s favourite supermarket (including mine even though it is rather expensive). Their community minded, profit sharing ethos, sale of Fair Trade and organic goods etc. is all rather appealing . However all the right press release buzz words and phrases such as ‘sustainable’, ‘affordable homes’, ‘unique and innovative’, ‘recycling’ ‘unique and innovative scheme to boost Cornish Farmers and producers’ etcetera is not going to convince this Green minded person that this is A Good Idea. They can put a windmill on the roof, have charging points for electric cars, and even a system to recycle waste water and heat, and it still will not convince me and many others, although they are obviously doing their best to get a few minds wavering.
So let us remember the facts. New supermarkets whether they are Waitrose, Tesco or Asda tend to have the effect of killing local businesses and reducing consumer’s choices. Building on this site will cause significant ongoing traffic congestion. To build on green field land when we already have more than enough supermarkets in Truro is wrong, wrong, wrong.
So Prince Charles, if you are reading this, remember if you do have a green conscience tell the managers of your estate this decision is wrong and must not go ahead. Support local business rather than large corporations, plant some trees on the land and let nature get on with it. Truro is big enough and even a Waitrose does not convince many of us that this land should be developed.
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