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Do you know what... I've got into modelling recently.

Oh, I know I always look good but this professional modelling is different.  It's almost like hard work.  I mean, someone kept throwing me a sausage and then I'd have to hold a pose for ages... at least a second.

Why not look me up on Facebook, you can find me here:

http://www.facebook.com/barneytaxassist

I'd really appreciate it if you'd leave a message, ask a questions (I promise to answer in my doggy style) or simply Like the page.

Anyway, that's not really what I want to write about today.  Nope, I have a different feline in me fur.

I live in Morningside and I have to say the walk through Morningside and Bruntsfield is one of me favourites. There are loads of local shops, smells, places to eat, The Meadows, Henriks Bar where they even let me humans in for a drink and lunch.

But I'm worried for the area and the reason I'm worried is... Sainsbury's.

It all started a few years ago with Tesco's on Holy Corner.  No-one really noticed and actually one express store like that was probably a good thing.  There's always the missing dental sticks and biscuits that need to be bought.

But then Peckhams, next door to Montpeliers, closed.  There was a pause of a couple of weeks before the signs went up and then it became public... it was Sainsbury's going in there.  I wasn't happy but, okay, I suppose one more of these mini supermarkets I could live with.

But now, they've taken the scaffolding down from the rebuilt building opposite the Canny Mann's and... OMG it's another Sainsbury's.  We don't need another one!

How long before the local shops begin to feel the squeeze?

Now, I know they have to compete in the modern world and, of course they should.  But they can't compete with laziness, even if they win hands down on service, quality and sometimes price.  The problem is it's just so easy to whip into Sainsbury's.  You know where everything is and you don't have to interact with anyone.

But please, peeps, make just a little bit of extra effort and keep using the local shops to make sure Morningside and Bruntsfield stay vibrant... we don't need another one of these express 'local' stores.