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Scientologists place 22 businesses out of bound

Title: Scientologists place 22 businesses out of bound
Date: Thursday, 11 July 1968
Publisher: East Grinstead Observer
Main source: link (84 KiB)

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TWENTY-TWO businesses have been put 'Out of Bounds' to Scientologists by their Saint Hill headquarters at East Grinstead.

A letter to the members headed 'Executive Directive,' lists the businesses as 'out of bounds,' and says: 'The shops have indicated that they do not wish Scientology to expand in East Grinstead, and we are, therefore, relieving them of the painful experience of taking our money.'

The Press officer at Saint Hill, Mr. H. Dunston, said that the list had come about following 'critical and destructive remarks about our members.'

He said the list represented only 10 per cent. of the traders who had been contacted. Another 90 per cent, had been informed that they were 'regarded highly.'

The 'Observer' spoke to several shopkeepers who were mystified. At one of the businesses, David Argent, of High Street, the manager, Mr. Robin Divan, said he had put up posters for Scientology, but had refused to display their books.

'A Scientologist said if we were not having his books Scientologists would stop coming here.'

But Mr. Divall added that one or two members were still coming to the shop.

A spokesman at the Wilmington Book Shop also said he had refused to display their books.

Another banned business, East Grinstead Coachworks, had refused to sign a petition supporting Scientology, said a director, Mr. Terence A. Casper. 'I do not think we have upset them in any other way,' he added.

Mr. Dunston said he had heard nothing of a petition and added that the present attitude to Scientology had been 'brought about by ourselves.'

'There is insufficient understanding in East Grinstead about Scientology, mainly because we have not had the time to be more informative.

'We have been so busy working on existing programmes that we have not been available to the town,' he said. 'This is wrong and we should apologise to the rest of East Grinstead.