Totnes - "independent and different"

[Bozza]

"Totnes, as most people know, is pretty independent and different as a town, and we're seeking to protect that."

BBC News - Costa Coffee pulls out of Totnes despite planning approval

Most people know? Really? I didn't know that. Tony Kershaw you are a pretentious twat. What say you NSCers?

 

[8ace]

I'd never even heard of Totnes TBH.

 

[Albumen]

It's one high street full of crystals and shit restaurants, as most people know.
The record shop is nice though.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

"Say No To Costa spent three months petitioning against the planned coffee shop" - why are the anti Lovebus mob involved

 

[Was not Was]

Well, obvs not everyone knows it.

But what a brilliant place, standing up to the blandness of the corporates. This way, money stays in the local economy, instead of going to institutional shareholders after a bit of mucky tax avoidance. This article on them is a bit long and worthy, but the bit near the end where it becomes clear that the local youth recognise that their lives are richer for having proper local businesses instead of chains, cheers me up: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/aug/15/totnes-war-global-capitalism

 

[Albumen]

Still, I like the way they've stopped costa. Good work.

 

[The Large One]

Hippy Totnes makes Lewes look normal.

 

[junior]

Never heard of it.

 

[bennibenj]

I would have been interested in going to the Totnes if it had a Costa's, not now, sounds like a town full of bloody weirdo's. Therapists, herbalists and Artists, Nah not for me.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

It's the last bastion of hippidom. Cosmic man.
Good for them. I believe they have their own currency, like many of these little local towns. Leave them alone, they are quite happy in their own little world away from "civilisation". Now if they had a half decent football team, it wouldn't be a bad place to live.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Still, I like the way they've stopped costa. Good work.

First Costa , will they be prepared for McDonalds , followed by Lidl , Aldi , Poundland and the charity shops. Totnes wants to stay in the last century.

 

[Bozza]

It's the last bastion of hippidom. Cosmic man.
Good for them. I believe they have their own currency, like many of these little local towns. Leave them alone, they are quite happy in their own little world away from "civilisation". Now if they had a half decent football team, it wouldn't be a bad place to live.

I've got no issue with their campaign and what they are trying to achieve.

I merely dispute their arrogant posture that they are well known for this.

 

[Norman Potting]

I am very familiar with Totnes, it is a lovely town similar in many ways to Lewes, long history, lots of nice buildings, interesting shops, no Harveys though

However my perception is that the majority of the residents are the types who are wealthy enough to enjoy a simple alternative lifestyle (or "up their own backsides" in the vernacular), surely more kudos would have been gained if they had just let Starbucks open as presumably if the 40+ coffee shops there are any good people will use them instead of their own free will.

Will they be campaigning to get the WH Smith, Mackays, Peacocks, Boots and Morrisons already in the town closed as well?

 

[Berty23]

I grew up in a village near totnes and it is where I went to school and it is a very well known place.

It is small with only c7000 residents. It is alternative hippy type type. The streets of totnes are like wandering around the lanes in brighton.

You should all have heard of totnes. It is said(mythical granted) to be the founding place of England when Brutus landed up the river dart and totnes was born closely followed by the rest of england. It has an ancient anglo Saxon castle which overlooks the town with views down the river dart. It is also the first place to cross the river dart as you move away from Dartmouth so is very busy.

It prides itself on being alternative and it does indeed have its own currency.

How many towns with only 7000 residents are as well known? When I tell people it is where I'm from they tend to have a little story about when they have been to the town.

Other reasons you may have heard of town

The Phillips yacht race boat was built there. The aim was to beat record for round the world.

Without a famous totnesian you may well not be reading this. Charles Babbage was educated at my old school and he invented the computer.

If you have not been there you should.

 

[kevo]

I have never been to Totnes but was aware of its reputation for supposedly being 'arty and bohemian'... bit like the south-west's answer to Hebden Bridge.

 

[Berty23]

I am very familiar with Totnes, it is a lovely town similar in many ways to Lewes, long history, lots of nice buildings, interesting shops, no Harveys though

However my perception is that the majority of the residents are the types who are wealthy enough to enjoy a simple alternative lifestyle (or "up their own backsides" in the vernacular), surely more kudos would have been gained if they had just let Starbucks open as presumably if the 40+ coffee shops there are any good people will use them instead of their own free will.

Will they be campaigning to get the WH Smith, Mackays, Peacocks, Boots and Morrisons already in the town closed as well?

The issue with costa is that totnes Is a big tourist town. If tourists see a chain coffee shop they will defer to it. With c40 coffee shops for 7k people this is clearly a coffee town.

Re morrisons. There was a major appeal against safeways when it first opened in 94 or 95. The town did not want it but eventually gave in. The coffee shop issue is different.

 

[MattBackHome]

Lovely part of the world.

 

[happypig]

I used to live a few miles from totnes. Went there many times but along say it's anything special and I would expect many people from Sussex to know much about it,

 

[Jam The Man]

I only knew cos an old school friend lives there

 

[CHAPPERS]

Good. f***ing coffee shops everywhere nowadays. When did everyone start drinking so much f***ing coffee?

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