Louisa

kbabes Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Louisa Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > LM Morrisons have pulled the plug on small > local > > format stores and have reverted back to form > with > > across the board price slashing at their > standard > > size stores. Seems to be working too, profits > year > > on year are up massively for them. > > > > This of course begs the question who will want > to > > take on the garden centre/station site? I would > > heard a guess at tesco express, seeing as they > > could puncture Sainsbury's nearby offering for > > convenience bits. Waitrose will probably want a > > large enough site to be able to provide a store > to > > cover a wide enough collection of affluent > > postcodes. A small format little Waitrose > probably > > wouldn't be sufficient to do that. > > > > Louisa. > > I thought Waitrose already delivered to all of > East & West Dulwich postcodes anyway? See them > in my street prob 4 or 5 times per day. Yes they do deliver, but large supermarkets still see the physical presence of a store as the ultimate prize in retail marketing, hence why the new M&S is doing so well no doubt. Not everyone within the demographic aimed at will want deliveries anyhow, some people still enjoy the experience of going in store. Louisa.

LM Morrisons have pulled the plug on small local format stores and have reverted back to form with across the board price slashing at their standard size stores. Seems to be working too, profits year on year are up massively for them. This of course begs the question who will want to take on the garden centre/station site? I would hazard a guess at Tesco Express, seeing as they could puncture biggest London rivals, Sainsbury's nearby offering for convenience bits. Waitrose will probably want a large enough site to be able to provide a store to cover a wide enough collection of affluent postcodes, all currently reliant on a small M&S foodhall for up-market offerings. A small format little Waitrose probably wouldn't be sufficient to do that. Louisa.

Well done holloway on the pig reference haha Louisa.

'Call me Dave' was certainly a god send to the Conservative party. Help make them electable again, and moved firmly into the centre ground on 'some' issues, which have in part lead to the perception that they're in the middle ground of politics. Labour and their shift to the left is another story which possibly has helped the perception somewhat. Deep down I think Cameron meant well, a career politician at heart, one nation, not radical or convictionist in the slightest. Probably a decent person at home. Will go down in history as the man who oversaw us leaving the EU. And possibly contributed towards the eventual break up of the United Kingdom. History won't be kind to Dave, another Tory PM consumed by the Europe question. Louisa.

Sue Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Louisa Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Footfall has notably increased as a result, > > temporary blip or long term change who knows. I > > would still argue that the likes of Waitrose > will > > be closing monitoring this setup and acting > > accordingly. > > > > Louisa. > > I'm wondering about those council offices > mentioned on another thread as up for sale or > about to be. > > Would it be a big enough space? > > Or the old Grove/Harvester though not very > central, but space for a carpark. The council offices probably wouldn't be big enough, but a friend many years ago told me 'east dulwich' was one of a handful of places John Lewis/Waitrose had on its radar, so the M&S and cinema successes will no doubt have been taken note of by Waitrose, who often times are willing to opt for a smaller store if necessary. I think James Barber mentioned some years back, Waitrose were willing to take on the Iceland site as was, without any major alterations? The grove tavern site would be ideal as it would incorporate parking and possibly residential too. Honestly cannot think of any other places apart from the station/grove vale but again, possibly a little on the small size. Louisa.

Footfall has notably increased as a result, temporary blip or long term change who knows. I would still argue that the likes of Waitrose will be closing monitoring this setup and acting accordingly. Louisa.

I had a Byron experience a while back and was hugely impressed, I walked past last night and noticed lots of younger folk enjoying themselves. Seemed busy. Seabag was was the vibe welcoming for all? Including older people? Louisa.

To be fair to Iceland, they specialise in frozen produce, so it isn't a big surprise they also indulge in this phenomenon. I can appreciate how a bar or restaurant may need ice, and I always knew some big producing factories made the stuff for large events, but I had absolutely no idea such things were available in supermarkets sold at such a disgraceful premium. Next you'll be telling me you can get branded mineral water ice, also available carbonated. Bizarre. Louisa.

Following a conversation with another member of the forum on the M&S thread, I have learnt something new tonight. Supermarkets 'sell' frozen cubes of water, commonly known as ice. Has this always been the case? How many of you buy ice rather than make it at home? I am genuinely astonished this is what has come of the world in the 21st century. Buying ice cubes. Amazing. Louisa.

I'm still confused kbabes, how does a freezer 'make' ice cubes? One every twenty minutes? What does that mean? Why can't you invest on some ice trays that could make 20/30 cubes at a time which you could store in freezer bags whilst you make more. And I get accused of having no sense? Some people have more money than sense it seems, if they buy ice cubes from a supermarket at one squid a pop! I really have heard it all now! Louisa.

Kbabes, I did miss your domestic ice making comment, and that throws up more questions than it answers. What on gods earth is an ice making machine? I must sound incredibly naive here, but I have always filled up plastic or rubber dice holders that sit inside the freezer, is that what you mean by ice making? Or are we talking about some device which can actively make frozen blocks of water? I am now baffled. Machines that 'make' ice, supermarkets that sell pre-frozen blocks of it for a quid! The mind boggles. Louisa.

Kbabes, that really is the height of opulent behaviour. Buying ice from a supermarket, what a bizarre thing, I thought at first you were maybe sarcastically trolling, but the attached image above confirms my fears. Are you genuinely telling me you cannot make ice at home? You've paid a whole one pound sterling for a bag of frozen tap water! Unbelievable, I know to go and lay down. Jaywalker, to me, a ready meal is a convenience. Full of salt and other horrible preservatives. They have their place, and I'm sure Marks use the 'finest' ingredients in their version, but ultimately it's still a ready meal. Hence my amazement that people are willing to pay over the odds for this crap, when you can get it in Iceland for a quid! Louisa.

No I haven't answered my own question. I went on to make the point the lidl equivalent was almost identical for half the price available at marks. A ready meal and bread are hardly comparable anyway. A heavily processed salt filled ready meal is going to be the same whether it's from Iceland or M&S, it's the price that's the key difference. Louisa.

ED - NAGAIUTB Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sue Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Louisa Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > > > So far the wine has impressed, if the layout > > is > > > somewhat shoddy, in the new Marks. The food > > > however, leaves a lot to be desired. > > > > > > > > > > > What do you find wrong with the food? > > > > Everything I have had from there so far has > been > > excellent. > > The food is far too bourgeois. The wine, however, > has verifiable working class origins..... > > Time for a Yellow Card, surely?? It certainly is time for a yellow card, notably for you, for your unashamed goading. Louisa.

Sue Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Louisa Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > So far the wine has impressed, if the layout > is > > somewhat shoddy, in the new Marks. The food > > however, leaves a lot to be desired. > > > > > > What do you find wrong with the food? > > Everything I have had from there so far has been > excellent. Overpriced ready meals. Don't quite understand why anyone would pay over the odds for food you can get elsewhere for those prices. I will concede on the iced lemon drizzle cake however, very nice. Louisa.

Foxy will they be serving gravy with their fires/chips? Louisa.

HMB as do I. *Bob*'s views on many things are in high demand, but he only feeds us witty titbits as and when it suits, the swine. Louisa.

*Bob* do you think a revamp will improve the co-op's fortunes as we head towards the party season Halloween to Christmas? How long before the Waitrose rumours start again at pace? So many questions, I know you're busy *Bob* but it would be interesting to hear your take on the whole thing. Louisa.

Mary123 may I suggest Downe House, home of Charles Darwin. Beautiful house and gardens with tea rooms run by the national trust. Easy to get to via Beckenham/Bromley. 20 mins in car. Louisa.

I don't mind paying the price for convenience if it's good quality convenience. The basic variety 'simply m&s' range of butter was no different to the lidl basic butter, but getting on close for double the price. Lidl is just as convenient for me and has a free car park to boot if I didn't fancy the walk. So far the wine has impressed, if the layout is somewhat shoddy, in the new Marks. The food however, leaves a lot to be desired. Louisa.

Invest in a cat. Well trained house cats will hunt down and remove slugs. Louisa.

I guess if you don't live in the immediate streets surrounding this new store it's not a problem. As long as you get your hands on some overpriced ready meals. I went in earlier (on foot) to buy butter, their basic variety was 1.30, walked back home jumped in car and drove to Lidl in Penge and paid 79p for same size. I'll be buying my wine from marks from now on though. When I can be bothered to walk. Louisa.

Must be Friday LM, sense of humour failure. I was being sarcastic. Maybe it will be a space NK? Louisa.

Does the BNP still exist Jeremy? Bromley is probably the joint first most blue/purple borough in London, but certainly wouldn't say it was bordering on anything politically sinister. I stick by my WW comments previously. Green, boring, relatively cheap, near good shopping/transport facilities. Louisa.

Mr Louisa surprising me with a meal out on a Friday night, instead of a discreet wander upstairs for a few hours nap. Louisa.