Chapter 28
D aisy hadn't thought that the GayesBooks threat would turn into a Pretty Beach crisis meeting, but that it had.
Word about the GayesBooks issue had spread through Pretty Beach with the efficiency of a bush telegraph, and by the time the meeting was about to start, the small community hall was fuller than it had ever been.
Suntanned Pete had arrived first, still in his work clothes and flip-flops, carrying a thermos of coffee with a look that meant he was ready for a fight. Holly and Xian had rallied lots of people and brought reinforcements in the form of boxes full of cinnamon buns.
After Daisy, with the help of Maggie, Lotta, and Annabelle, had made many cups of tea, people took their seats, and it began. Pete was in charge and had the air of someone chairing a very serious board meeting. After a detailed synopsis, he put things to the floor.
‘Let's get this sorted. What exactly are we dealing with that I haven’t said? Holly?’
Holly relayed what she had ascertained and then, in turn, Daisy explained what she knew about GayesBooks.
Faces around the room grew increasingly outraged as Daisy detailed what she presumed would be GayesBooks's plans.
She conveyed the way they'd researched her business, calculated her weaknesses, and identified Pretty Beach as what they clearly believed was a market ripe for corporate exploitation.
‘Absolute parasites! They think they can waltz into our town and destroy what we've built here.’ Chloe shook her head.
Pete tutted. ‘It's not just about Daisy's shop!
If GayesBooks moves in and drives out the independent businesses, what's next? Are chains coming to replace the bakery? Supermarket pharmacies instead of our little chemist? Pretty Beach could end up looking like every other soulless town centre in the country.’
Holly nodded grimly. ‘That's exactly what happens. I've seen it in other coastal towns. The chains move in promising jobs and choice, but what they actually bring is homogenisation. All the character gets sucked out and you're left with something that could be anywhere.’
‘Over my dead body.’ Pete was defiant. ‘I've lived in Pretty Beach my whole life and I'm not watching it get turned into some corporate shopping centre. What do we need to do to stop this?’
Daisy felt a flutter of hope mixed with anxiety.
The support was overwhelming and not just about her, but she wasn't sure how much difference community opposition would make against corporate resources and professional planning. The research she’d done on GayesBooks and its other locations and how it swooped in showed that the company was serious and acted quickly; that was part of their business strategy.
After her previous few years, a large part of her didn’t have the energy for a fight.
Xian pursed her lips together. ‘The sale hasn't gone through yet and they're still at the survey stage. If there are problems with the building, or if they decide Pretty Beach isn't worth the investment after all, they might pull out.’
Pete nodded. ‘We need to make them pull out. Make it clear that Pretty Beach doesn't want them and won't support them if they do open.’
Maggie made a grimacing face. ‘How do we do that, though? They're not going to care about a few disgruntled locals if they think they can make money here.’
Pete leant forward. ‘We could get a petition going, for starters. Get every person in Pretty Beach to sign something saying they oppose the GayesBooks development. That would show them we're united against this.’
‘Yes, a petition's a good start, but we need more than signatures. We need to make noise, get attention, show them this isn't going to be the easy takeover they're expecting.’
‘What about Lucian's Where the Heck is Pretty Beach podcast?’ Chloe suggested. ‘He could record an episode about the threat to Pretty Beach's independent businesses. Make it about preserving the character of the town.’
Daisy pulled out her phone and started making notes. A petition, media coverage, and community pressure. It wasn't much against GayesBooks's corporate machine, but it was something.
‘We should contact the other independent businesses in nearby towns too and get them involved, make it clear this affects everyone. If GayesBooks succeeds here, they'll be looking at other targets next.’
‘It won’t stop if we let it start. They’ll come for the gift shops, Pretty Beach Fish and Chips, even The Orangery. We should reckon that anyone who could be replaced by a chain should be worried about this.’
Xian went white, visibly shuddered and held her silver hip flask upside down over her cup of tea. ‘We could get a Greggs.’
The energy in the room changed as people realised the depth of the problem.
People were talking over each other with suggestions and ideas.
Daisy felt simultaneously grateful and exceedingly panicked.
The support was wonderful, but it also meant the stakes were high.
This wasn't just about her livelihood anymore; it clearly affected a lot of other people, too. It was about Pretty Beach's identity.
Nel stood up. ‘What about social media? We need people sharing stories about why small shops matter to them, why Pretty Beach should stay independent. Make it go viral, put pressure on GayesBooks from outside the town as well as inside.’
Pete nodded. ‘We will use the same tools they use, but for community organising instead of corporate marketing.’
Xian tapped her iPad. ‘I'll start a Facebook page. "Save Pretty Beach Independents" or something like that. Get people sharing, commenting, making noise.’
Pete looked and sounded very serious. ‘We need to be smart about this. We can't just be negative campaigning against GayesBooks. We need to make a positive case for why Pretty Beach is special the way it is.’
‘Exactly. We need to talk about community, about knowing your customers personally, about the sort of service you can't get from a chain store.’
Daisy noted things down frantically, trying to capture all the ideas flying around the room. The petition, the media coverage, the social media campaign.
‘I'll design flyers. Something eye-catching that explains what's at stake. We can put them in every shop window, hand them out at the ferry wharf and train station. We need to make sure everyone in town knows what's happening.’ Chloe offered.
‘I'll talk to the other business owners. If we don't stick together now, we'll be picked off one by one later.’ Suntanned Pete looked panicked.
Holly stood up, pacing to the window and back. ‘We need to think about timing, too. If the survey's happening, we need to make our presence felt before they make any final decisions. Show them Pretty Beach isn't the soft target they think it is.’
‘What about a demonstration?’ Xian suggested. ‘We could get people gathering outside the building with signs, showing community opposition.’
‘Yes, a peaceful protest. We must make it clear this is about protecting what we value, not just opposing change for the sake of it.’ Holly nodded.
Daisy looked around at the faces, many of whom she’d known her whole life and others who were part of her daily existence in Pretty Beach.
They were talking about fighting and the idea that a place could have character worth preserving, that community mattered more than convenience.
The thing was, though, Daisy had a horrible sense of impending doom for her little town.
She just wasn’t convinced. ‘You know they might not care, don't you?
GayesBooks, the developers, and the Thornton family.
They might decide the money's more important than what we want.’
‘We make it not about money. We make it about reputation, about whether they want to be known as the company that destroyed a beloved coastal town. Bad publicity costs money too.’ Pete sounded adamant.
Nel nodded. ‘And if they do go ahead despite all this, at least we'll have tried. At least we'll have shown that Pretty Beach isn't going to roll over and let itself be bulldozed.’
The meeting continued for another hour, plans taking shape and various responsibilities being assigned. By the time people had started to drift away, Pete had a contact list, a timeline, and the beginnings of a campaign that felt more substantial.
Daisy had stayed to pack chairs, clear away cups and do the washing up. Pete, who’d done the same, was one of the last to leave. He lingered by the door with his thermos tucked under his arm.
‘This is going to work, you know. It’s not because we're guaranteed to win, but because Pretty Beach looks after its own. You're not fighting this battle by yourself.’
‘Thanks, Pete.’
Once she was back home, Daisy sat in the bookshop and tried to process what had just happened.
A few hours before, she'd felt helpless against GayesBooks's corporate efficiency. Now she had an army of allies and a plan of attack. However, she had a sinking feeling that despite what they did and no matter how hard Pretty Beach rallied, it wouldn’t work, but it was hope, at least there was that.