Costa Coffee, after winning planning permission, has decided not to set up shop in Totnes after a strong local campaign which gathered 5,700 signatures for its petition.  A huge victory for local people.  All credit to them, and respect to Costa for seeing the light.

Read all about it at the BBC News website, at Transition Town Totnes, and for all the twists and turns, at No to Costa in Totnes.  And here's a comment piece by Rob Hopkins, writing in The Guardian. 

Particular congratulations, of course, to our Transition Town comrades.  Holly Tiffin of TTT said: "It perhaps sends out a clear message to other chains that this isn't the place to come but it really opens it up for entrepreneurs and local businesses by saying that here you can really set root and flourish."

Next time we have a battle on our hands against a corporate in Crediton, we'll know it's possible for people-power to win, however much the rules are weighted against us and the Local Authority unable, or unwilling, to help.