New Co-op Store - Better or Worse?

[HonaloochieB]

cate Wrote:

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> HonaloochieB Wrote:

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> > cate Wrote:

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> > > Mrs TP Wrote:

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> > > > HonaloochieB - I was so stunned by the

> grapes

> > I

> > > > never thought about the bread and crisps.

> It

> > > was

> > > > regular sliced hovis 50/50 type bread and a

> > > > regular packet of skips - ?1.89. (However

> > that

> > > is

> > > > a huge bargain in comparison with how much

> I

> > > spent

> > > > at the fair on Peckham Rye yesterday. Oh

> > dear

> > > I

> > > > have been in London 20yrs but my northern

> > roots

> > > > still shine through when I start moaning

> > about

> > > the

> > > > price of things in 'that London'.)

> > >

> > >

> > > Lidl has grapes for ?1.79 for 500g.

> >

> > Cheers Cate, I'm so round the Acre lane branch

> > tomorrow.

>

>

> So Lidl in Peckham isn't good enough for you? M&S

> usually has tasty grapes as well - I prefer the

> purple ones. I have no idea of the prices there

> as haven't been in ages. Don't forget to nip into

> the Tesco and do a price and taste comparison for

> us.

Actually you're correct Cate, the Peckham Lidl isn't quite good enough for me.

Infra dig just about sums it up.

A fellow wanders hither and yon through life, thinking he's a man of the people and doesn't have a snob bone in him.

He then spends a few minutes in Peckham Lidl and 'f@ck my old boots' if he don't get all uppity, superior and snootsome about his fellow man.

I blame Lidl, I reckon they design it that way.

Damn them and their cheapness.

[cate]

HB, Have you tried the one in Sydenham or Beckenham? They all have different atmospheres. The one in Peckham has a new refrigerated section for the salad ingredients. That is where the grapes were today. Don't know if it's a store-wide implementation.

[HonaloochieB]

cate Wrote:

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> HB, Have you tried the one in Sydenham or

> Beckenham? They all have different atmospheres.

> The one in Peckham has a new refrigerated section

> for the salad ingredients. That is where the

> grapes were today. Don't know if it's a store-wide

> implementation.

Bless your sweet bones, good Cate, you've got me back to the Peckham Lidl.

I simply must see the refrigerated portion of the place, you have made me rethink my somewhat testy attitude toward the place and I shall visit there this very week.

I will inform you of my findings.

[cate]

That's not all the excitement. The whole store has been rearranged!!! But, there is a distinct shortage of limes. I usually combine a visit to Lidl with a visit to Persopolis round the corner.

[cate]

And this place -

http://helengraves.co.uk/2010/04/food-from-the-rye-khans-bargain-ltd/

[HonaloochieB]

cate Wrote:

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> And this place -

>

> http://helengraves.co.uk/2010/04/food-from-the-rye

> -khans-bargain-ltd/

Cate, you just build the excitement, I simply can't wait.

Hugs and everything.

[Loz]

I had to stand and explain what celeriac was for 5 minutes to two different staff members just the other day...

I'm not sure you could ever come up with a better definition of 'middle class' :))

[Queen of Dulwich]

I went in two Saturdays ago and they didn't have strawberries. Asked a staff member and he tried to sell me peaches. Told him that strawberries are in season and that I find it odd they don't have any. He just shrugged.

Unacceptable I find - I need my strawberry fix everyday as long as they are in season

[cate]

Queen of Dulwich Wrote:

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> I went in two Saturdays ago and they didn't have

> strawberries. Asked a staff member and he tried

> to sell me peaches. Told him that strawberries

> are in season and that I find it odd they don't

> have any. He just shrugged.

>

> Unacceptable I find - I need my strawberry fix

> everyday as long as they are in season

Strawbs are extremely popular at this time of year. Quite possible they would sell out on a Saturday. I have been lucky and found some surprisingly tasty ones in there in the last two weeks = on weekdays - and they weren't the hideous Elsanta type. The problem is there just isn't enough space in there for endless displays of seasonal fruit.

[prdarling]

Smiling at the idea of Missus trying to find celeriac in there. It was only a year ago that they looked blankly at you if you asked for garlic.

It's absolutely rubbish. Virtually every shelf of anything fresh is 3/4 empty most of the time. It always reminds me of when you used to see shops in Moscow during the Cold War - endless queues, not a scrap of fresh food.

It's scruffy, badly stocked, badly run and an eyesore to boot

[Sue]

prdarling Wrote:

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> Smiling at the idea of Missus trying to find

> celeriac in there. It was only a year ago that

> they looked blankly at you if you asked for

> garlic.

>

> It's absolutely rubbish. Virtually every shelf of

> anything fresh is 3/4 empty most of the time. It

> always reminds me of when you used to see shops in

> Moscow during the Cold War - endless queues, not a

> scrap of fresh food.

>

> It's scruffy, badly stocked, badly run and an

> eyesore to boot

xxxxxx

It was like this until very recently, but in the last few weeks it has been transformed.

Have you been in there lately?

And they've always sold garlic.

[cate]

I have bought celeriac at Lidl.

[Narnia]

prdarling Wrote:

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> Smiling at the idea of Missus trying to find

> celeriac in there. It was only a year ago that

> they looked blankly at you if you asked for

> garlic.

>

> It's absolutely rubbish. Virtually every shelf of

> anything fresh is 3/4 empty most of the time. It

> always reminds me of when you used to see shops in

> Moscow during the Cold War - endless queues, not a

> scrap of fresh food.

>

> It's scruffy, badly stocked, badly run and an

> eyesore to boot

You were in Moscow during the cold war! You must have some tales to tell.

[HonaloochieB]

cate Wrote:

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> I have bought celeriac at Lidl.

How are Lidl stocking middle-class celeriac?

The world's gone topsy-turvy so it has.

[Narnia]

Are we talking celery here or have I just been brought up at a disadvantage?

[cate]

Narnia Wrote:

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> Are we talking celery here or have I just been

> brought up at a disadvantage?

No, we aren't talking celery. Celeriac (root) is used in celeriac remoulade (a French fave) and soup usually. It is very ugly looking.

[SimonM]

But why go into the Co-op for fresh strawberries when Pretty's are selling such amazing high quality ones??

[cate]

Last time I checked at Pretty's, they had Elsanta and some other unpleasant - ie watery - tasting one. I know because I was allowed to taste them.

[prdarling]

Sue I live on Ryedale, it is my misfortune to walk past it and yes, sometimes under duress, even pop in. I was in there yesterday and the shelves were as decimated as usual and the outside of the shop looked like the cntents of a skip, as usual. I beg to differ re the garlic issue. I could never ever find it which was how I came across the lovely Turkish shop up the hill, which, shock, sells herbs as well. Now to this day you'd struggle to buy some basil in the Co-op.

Narnia I have ths magic box in the corner of my room called a TV

[cate]

prdarling, you are talking about two different Co-ops. You mean the one in Forest Hill Road and Sue means the one in Lordship Lane. I go to both but most recently to the one in Lordship Lane.

[Sue]

Yes, the clue is in the title of the thread " NEW Co-op store" - ie, the Co-op store on Lordship Lane that used to be Somerfield.

And yes they also stock fresh basil.

[SimonM]

Last time I checked at Pretty's, they had Elsanta and some other unpleasant - ie watery - tasting one. I know because I was allowed to taste them.

Interesting. I have had them year after year from Pretty's and they have always more flavoursome than anything from the supermarkets. A couple of weeks back I had a punnet whose contents were still firm and juicy after a week in the fridge (postponed eating them because the few in the garden had ripened :))): never had a watery one from there either.:)

[cate]

Re strawbs, I have a total aversion to Elsantas. The last time I wanted to buy some there, one box said Elsanta and the other some other name. I tried one of each and declines to buy them and they were fine about it. Think it depends on what is at the market on that day as to what they buy. It could also be that you like Elsantas!! The Co-op had Sonata ones the other week which were good and rated in one of the newspapers the other day. I tend to leave my berries out on the counter if I am going to eat them that day.

[Sue]

The Co-op have some at the moment called Sweet Eve, not the best I've ever tasted but a zillion times better than Elsanta which was all Sainsbury's had on Friday.

The Co-op seem to be expanding their range of different foods, which is good - and the shelves were plentifully stocked this morning.

[cate]

Marks and Spencer used to have good berries in the summer, but haven't been to one in ages. I cannot understand why Elsanta is so ubiquitous.