Shopping local vs supermarkets and their local stores

[Twirly]

Artful - would the shops necessarily need to open for longer, or just vary they're opening hours a bit? As I said, open a bit later on certain days and close later, so they're still open for the same period of time. I imagine there are people who shop very early maybe on their way home from a night shift, and some market research would probably need to be done, but, judging by rush hour, most people still work office hours.

[TheArtfulDogger]

Twirly

A good point, and one that maybe local shops should look into to see what would attract the best business for them.

personally I would prefer local shops to survive rather then be crushed under the heal of the supermarkets and I was interesed to watch the demise of Lordship lane when Sainsburys first opened and the subsequent revivial of local shopping once the luster and alure of a big supermarket started to wear off.

[Ukjoncollins]

The main issue will be do the shops want to embrace the change or are they going to resist it. Sadly, as they all seem to be doing quite well for themselves at the moment, I'm not sure how many of them will want to change their opening hours. Is there a local retailers consortium who we could contact regarding this?

[Otta]

We used milkandmore for a while, but it was costing a fortune and we still ended up going round the corner for milk anyway, so we packed it in.

Our milk man was a miserable git too.

[Champ]

I'd say I buy around 95% of my food from supermarkets. It's more convenient, saves a considerable amount of time and there are often good deals available so you get more for your money!

[eco79]

Talking of milk men and the like, when I was a kid in Liverpool my Dad would, every Christmas, leave a fiver for....

- milkman

- postman

- bin men

- newspaper kid

- pop man

Does anybody do this anymore? I remember when I got my first flat thinking I should and then not knowing what to do? My paper round would bring in an easy ?30 at Christmas [massive amounts in 1993 when a trip to Anfield and a bag of chips cost ?3.30].

[please note, I'm aware I should probably write postPERSON, milkPERSON etc...but they were all male specifically to us]

[Pickle]

Yep, we tip our milkman at Christmas (money and chocolates) and I give big boxes of Roses/Quality Street to the bin men (difficult to tip them as there are loads of them every week with the different collections etc.)

[treehugger]

I would like to tip our binmen at Christmas to show my appreciation, but don't know how to do it or even if it is appropriate. When I was little they would come and knock on the door and my Mum would give them something. Maybe they are not allowed to do that any more. Should I just go and accost them on the round before Christmas? I'm a bit too shy, and fear it would be taken the wrong way? Also our hardworking roadsweepers, who do a great job and I am sure are rarely thanked....

[HelBel65]

Inspired by this thread I just did all my shopping for tonight's curry on the Lane, mostly in SMBS. They were very helpful about different types of chilli, best potatoes for bombay aloo etc. Can't imagine that happening in Sainsburys somehow...

Then I celebrated with a mini spree in Shannon's Garden Centre, a new discovery, so I reckon I've done my bit for the local economy today!

[Newboy]

To be honest 95% of my shopping comes from the supermarket but is delivered to the door. I leave for work at 6.30am and get back around 7pm. I don't know how else I could do enough household shopping for two people and a dog other than on-line every 10-14 days. The time it would take to go to individual stores and pick up everything throughout the week would be just impossible for me

[Ariadne]

Hi Artful, can I put the independent retailers point of view? I have recently started a fruit & veg stall attached to our butchers shop. It has proved v popular with customers & much more cost effective as they're buying quality fresh products in the quantity they need.(1 red chilli for example, thanks Marmora Man) Also less for the recycling food waste bin.

The butchers start at 6.30am in preparation for opening at 8. And when I go to New Covent Garden Market it means a 3am start. It would be difficult therefore to extend the opening hours with just a small team of staff. We are not complacent of the fact that we are missing a large part of the local shoppers, hence the queues on Saturday.

In answer to your original question, yes your weekly bill can be less than when you shop in the supermarket as you're not always getting the bargain you thought (thanks Maritrap)

[Pugwash]

In terms of varying hours to suit needs reminds me of Selsey where my father and stepmother gave kived since 1975.

Up to a few years ago when we visited them the only restaurant, not in a pub, closed at 6 pm in the summer. This to me was madness as Selsey has a number of caravan sites with several thousands of people being accommodated and not everyone wanted to stay on the camp site. For an area whose income depended on tourism 5.30 closures of retail shops and 6 pm of the only restaurant always seemed odd. However the last few years, they have seen sense and close the restaurant around 10 pm in the summer. The retail shops still close at 5. 30 and they still have half day closing.

It is an area where more couples are living due to the cheapness of housing and large number of teenagers and young parents. There is a ready labour market for part time workers if the shop hours wee extended. The same could be said of ED

[Bluerevolution]

Booze, cat food general shopping Sainsburys, meat, fish and fresh bread Nunhead village. As said earlier Sopers can't be beat for fish and it's open Sunday 10-2 for that "emergency"

[Marmora Man]

Ariadne Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi Artful, can I put the independent retailers

> point of view? I have recently started a fruit &

> veg stall attached to our butchers shop. It has

> proved v popular with customers & much more cost

> effective as they're buying quality fresh products

> in the quantity they need.(1 red chilli for

> example, thanks Marmora Man) Also less for the

> recycling food waste bin.

> The butchers start at 6.30am in preparation for

> opening at 8. And when I go to New Covent Garden

> Market it means a 3am start. It would be difficult

> therefore to extend the opening hours with just a

> small team of staff. We are not complacent of the

> fact that we are missing a large part of the local

> shoppers, hence the queues on Saturday.

> In answer to your original question, yes your

> weekly bill can be less than when you shop in the

> supermarket as you're not always getting the

> bargain you thought (thanks Maritrap)

Where is your shop? I've not noticed a butchers with conjoined veg stall - but would like to come and see.

[Badi200PR]

Coincidence that TD came after the entire stadium screamed for some US Sailors? I think not. #NavyWife

His future wife what he is doing with me

[aquarius moon]

I rely on special offers/buy one get one free to survive.

Therefore I only ever shop in supermarkets.

Really envy all these people that can afford to buy in independant shops. (personally, can't even afford food shopping at all)

If I ever win the lottery, will join you on Lordship Lane.

[TheArtfulDogger]

Aquarius Moon, are bogoffs such a bargain, I popped into morrisions today to get some pasta, where 500g was on offer of buy two for ?1.50

Yet the one kilo bag was ?1.30

Go figure that as a bargain !

Ariadne, I totally agree with you, as a young man I worked in a green grocers so I do know the early starts equating to wanting to finish at a reasonable time, and I was speculating that maybe the best way to get more of the later shoppers (after work) is to stay open a bit later however each business would end to do the research, evaluate the cost vs profit options and also understand what it would mean to quality of life for both the business people / owners and the shoppers

It is however encouraging that so many people do (or want to) shop locally

[The Minkey]

AQ: I'm also now on a very limited income and I can second that about the supermarket special offers. It's really worth checking out the non-offer items as it's sometimes the case that they work out cheaper. Doesn't make much sense but I've found it to be true. For fruit and veg, Lewisham Market and Rye Lane are much better than supermarkets, e.g. I got 12 red peppers for a quid last time I went to Lewisham, and a big pineapple for 60p. Depends what's in season, but there are some great deals to be found outside the supermarkets.

[the-e-dealer]

am i banned

[Ariadne]

Hi Marmora Man, best not upset anyone & advertise the business name, but you can find us on Rosendale Rd, at the Rosendale Pub end (well recommended) we look forward to seeing you.

Thanks for your comments Pugwash, but we have not found a ready labour market for part-time workers. Butchery is a dying skill as its not trendy to leave school & become a butcher. 1 of our staff is over retirement age & 2 more are approaching it. Having advertised apprenticeships this summer in line with government promotions we only had 3 applicants. Only one lad turned up for an interview then did a half day trial and decided it wasn't right for him, but all credit to him for giving it a go.

Looking to the future independent Butchers shops may become as rare as fishmongers