Vickery-Jones showered with praise

Now here's a funny thing – at Canterbury City Council Executive on 29th March, the leader of the council, Cllr Gilbey, went out of his way to congratulate Cllr Vickery-Jones on his recent successes.

The first of these was the chaos that resulted from the re-routing of traffic around the Westgate Towers, which will probably soon be renamed the Vickery Victory Arch.

The second praiseworthy achievement was Cllr Vickery-Jones' masterful and diplomatic handling of Tesco's threatened invasion of Herne. John Gilbey gave a moving account of Cllr Vickery-Jones' single-handed triumph over the retail giant:

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Herne getting famous for beating Tesco

The sleepy village that  triumphed over Tesco as people power forces chain to abandon pub conversion

The charming village of Herne seems an unlikely spot for an awesome display of people power. But the extraordinary resolve of its residents has just seen off the might of Tesco. Villagers won a David and Goliath battle with the store chain over what they saw as a threat to their way of life.

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Herne Villagers won, Tesco nil

Tesco scraps plans for Express store in Herne

Tesco has dramatically pulled out of plans to open an Express store in Herne, the Kentish Gazette can reveal. The supermarket giant today admitted it was not pushing forward with the controversial scheme, blaming highways issues in the village.

The news marks the end of a fierce five-month campaign waged by villagers against the company, which wanted to open in the empty Upper Red Lion pub. More than 700 marched in protest at the plans on Sunday, sending out a clear message that a new store was not wanted. It followed two public meetings held at the village church which were attended by more than 500 people.

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See the NoToTesco march

Here's a natty little video of Sunday's march against Tesco in Herne. It is described as a message to Cllr Vickery-Jones.

I wonder if he'll get the message...

I wonder what it takes for him to get a message...

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Cllr Vickery-Jones has said that nothing short of civil disobedience can prevent Tesco inflicting itself on Herne... Not so.

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Anti-Tesco march at Herne on Sunday

More than 1,000 campaigners are expected to swamp the tiny village of Herne on Sunday and march through its streets in protest against Tesco’s plans to open a store in a former pub. The demonstration plans were revealed after villagers gained police permission to stage the march.

Villagers should meet at the Cherry Orchard at 11am. The march starts at 11.30am and will go through the village to Curtis Wood Park.

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Holy Trinity pipped by Unholy Monopoly?

Herne turns out to be an unsuspected hive of activity. It transpires that the local vicar thought it would be a neat idea to re-establish the centuries old symbiosis between Booze and Pews by nabbing the defunct Red Lion as a vicarage.

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A vicar has revealed she asked her church to purchase a rundown pub and turn it into a new vicarage. The Rev Elaine Richardson tried to persuade the Diocese of Canterbury to buy the empty Upper Red Lion in Herne.

The vicar, who preaches at St Martin's Church next door, says it would have been the perfect spot for a vicarage with rooms for public use. But the Diocese considered the move "uneconomical and unsuitable" - paving the way for Tesco

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Don't want Tesco, do want pub!

Following up to last month's hoo-ha about Tesco bidding for the Red Lion pub in Herne, and one of the ward councillors being the only person who didn't think it was a disastrous idea, we now have some more local feedback...

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NO. We do not want Tesco in the village of Herne or Broomfield for that matter. ('Tesco always just muscles in and takes all the trade', Herne Bay Gazette, September 29).

I am on the planning committee of the parish council and would not support any plans that involve the Upper Red Lion for anything but a pub.

I am having the subject put on the agenda of the parish council meeting on Thursday, October 13, starting at 7.30pm

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The Upper Red Lion at Herne, Tesco, and Peter Vickery-Jones

What do the locals make of the tale of an old village pub, a greedy supermarket and a local Councillor? Disgusting, stupid, ignorant... and they're not talking about the pub or the supermarket.

Here's how the tale has been unfolding over the last couple of weeks in the HB Gazette. The pub closed in March 2011, and is up for sale at £¼m. Tesco will take it off Punch Tavern's hands if they can get planning permission, although both sides are being tight-lipped about the deal. Ignoring the concerns of local businesses, Cllr Vickery-Jones wades in, spouting daftness.

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