Love it or loathe it the Co-op has certainly fought tooth and nail to protect its monopoly in Cinderford.

 

Like a Mother Hen protecting her territory from the fox, it has prevented any other supermarket from setting up in opposition, for longer than the deportation saga of Abu Qatada, but at what cost to the community of Cinderford? 

The Co-op has lined the pockets of lawyers to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds in its fight for monopoly status.

The Co-op is a mutual organisation, so their members have paid for it, as well as the Council Tax payers of the Forest of Dean. 

The Co-op has used the technicalities of the law to fight their corner so are doing nothing legally wrong in their fight.  But from a more ethical standpoint they are preventing an employment boost of some 250 jobs in the local community, which the planned Asda would produce.

Whatever happened to the 'caring, sharing Co-op' they so proudly boast.  No, they are holding the residents of Cinderford to ransom to protect their monopoly and preventing healthy competition.  What have they to fear?  Is it a case of 'I'm all right Jack'!  It is time for the Co-op to do the honourable thing and show that they really are a caring, sharing organisation.

– Edward Kynas­ton, Lydney.