What started off as a simple letter to a newspaper addressing the issue of big business moving into the town of Todmorden (near Manchester) has, somehow, turned into Beirut-bashing:

REGARDING the Sainsbury’s supermarket proposal, I have always been a supporter and customer of Todmorden small business and market and hope they remain in the community for many years to come.

However, in my opinion I feel another supermarket would be beneficial to the town as it will attract visitors from neighbouring towns who will come here to shop and while here visit other establishments – cafes, shops, the market etc.

[…]

Surely its better for Todmorden people to do their shopping at Todmorden Sainsbury’s rather than Halifax or Burnley’s.

The town’s beginning to look like Beirut which, by the way, has a few markets but would you go there to shop?

Darrell Sunderland,

Summerfield Road, Todmorden

Well Darrell, I would love to answer your questions with these links:

• Christmas shopping in Beirut: Has Lebanese capital finally been reborn?
• Beirut bounces back — “Chic Lebanon has been restored and rebuilt and offers top shopping and dining.”
• Beirut: A serious alternative to Dubai?

Any many other Beirut+shopping articles and reports are out there. Maybe its time to step-out from your quaint Todmorden home and have a look at Google.com, you’ll be quite surprised to see what you can find.

Oh, before I forget, here’s your Looks Like Beirut certificate. Good job!

Darrell, you can click on the image and print a copy. Make sure to frame it.