Don’t You Have Your Own Town Meetings To Rant At?

I grew up in a rural seaside town that was popular with tourists. It was a lovely place, but it was hard to find work because what few jobs there were in such a small town were usually seasonal, so most people who lived there worked in the nearest city or larger towns. Then, a national supermarket chain tried to bid on a piece of land so they could build a supermarket there.

Most residents were supportive of this because it meant more jobs locally and more options for weekly shops; the nearest full-sized supermarket was a twenty-five- to thirty-minute drive away at the time. But there were a few residents — mostly the retirees — who were not thrilled with the idea of [Chain] setting up shop in our town because they thought it would ruin the look, history, and culture of the town.

The land [Chain] was bidding for wasn’t used for anything. It had no historical significance. We had several small chain supermarkets and shops in town already, and the piece of land was right on the outskirts of town. There wasn’t anything on the land, either: no buildings or sites of historical importance. It was just a weed-riddled patch of land that people occasionally fly-tipped on. (Fly tipping is illegal waste dumping.)

The [Chain] land bid quickly became a source of controversy which residents butted heads over, with meeting after meeting called, but it took several years before an agreement could be made.

The weirdest thing about this wasn’t so much that the town was divided on the issue, but the fact that the tourists felt they had a say in it. People who spent two to four weeks a year in our town felt entitled to a say in anything that happened here, from how and when roads were maintained to what shops and businesses they would “allow” to open. Naturally, the land dispute with [Chain] quickly got their attention.

At the time that this battle was raging on, I was a teenager, and I had a part-time job at a local fishmonger. It wasn’t the best, but it was better than a long commute into the city.

It was a lovely day and tourists were flocking to the town to spend the day at the beach, so I was very busy with people buying various seafood treats to eat as they walked along.

As I was getting ready to close, a customer came in and asked for a seafood pot. I had run out not too long ago, and as we were due to close, I hadn’t bothered to make any more. Still, I happily made her a fresh one while she waited. As I was pottering about making it, we had a chat.

Me: “How are you enjoying your time here? Have you been to visit the model railway or the gardens yet?”

Tourist: “I went to the gardens yesterday. They’re gorgeous. It’s just a shame they’re going to be ruined by that stupid [Chain].”

Me: “Oh, the gardens are on the other side of town from where they’re hoping to build [Chain]. They’ll still be there even if they build it.”

The woman sniffed disdainfully.

Tourist: “Well, they’d better not build it. I don’t spend all this money just to see [Chain]. We have [Chain] at home. It’ll ruin this town if they build one.”

Not wanting to start an argument, I just nodded.

Tourist: “The meeting at the town hall about [Chain] is this week, isn’t it?”

Me: “On Friday, I think.”

Tourist: “Good. I’m going. I won’t let them destroy my holiday.”

Me: “The meeting is only for residents.”

Tourist: “Nonsense. I spend thousands every year when I come here. I have just as much right to vote on this as anyone else.”

I didn’t respond and instead finished up her seafood pot.

Tourist: “Well, I’m sure you don’t want [Chain] to be built. It’ll put you out of a job.”

Me: “[Supermarket] in [Town] isn’t allowed a fish counter, so it doesn’t affect the local fishing trade. The council has said the same thing to [Chain]. If they get the go-ahead, they won’t be allowed a fish counter, either. So, you’ll still be able to enjoy our seafood whenever you come.”

The woman huffed and started digging through her purse, ready to pay.

Tourist: “I just think it’s wrong. I don’t want [Chain] here. I come here to get away from all the boring stuff I have at home.”

Again, I just nodded and feigned sympathy.

The woman paid and left.

My parents went to the meeting on Friday. When they got home, they told me that a crazy woman tried to force her way into the meeting. She wasn’t a resident but demanded to be let in to “save” us from [Chain]. I don’t know if it was the same woman, because it wasn’t the first time a tourist had tried to force or bluff their way into one of the town meetings despite numerous signs plastered on the hall doors announcing this was a meeting for residents only.

Several years later, [Chain] got the go-ahead to build their supermarket. The town is still there. It’s still a thriving tourist hot spot. The world didn’t end after all.