Forest Hill Co-Op...

[Doodles]

Its not so much the lack of space as the way they use it. Much less space in Val?s up near the Plough but shopping in there is a pleasure. Here?s an idea for the coop ? put ice cream in the ice cream cabinet. And maybe chickens in the cool meat cabinet rather than on the floor next to it?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Now I'm as big a fan of Val's as anyone but whilst Nisha does make good use of space, anyone complaining about the lack of buggy/wheelchair space in the co-op who scoots up that hill will be sorely disappointed!

[Doodles]

Yup, but if you ask for something and can?t get to it she, or one of the other people who work there, will always get it for you.

In fact when she didn?t have something I wanted she told me how to make it!

[Fuschia]

I've contacted the Coop national office about the access issues. See what they say...

[prdarling]

Fuschia, I contacted the Co-op (when it was in its former incarnation) about lack of pushchair space, perilously stacked boxes, lack of basic stock and the general impression that the shop had just been ransacked as it was so scruffy. They sent me a ?5 voucher to spend in store. So that solved everything......

[bon3yard]

I contacted them too and within a month it was being refurbished. I do what I can. Although I didnt get a 5 pound voucher they did send Angelina Jolie and Liv Tyler around to tidy up the house and plump a few cushions. Nonetheless a fiver is a fiver.

[prdarling]

Not knocking the cash, but throwing (tiny amounts of) money at the problem isn't a solution. It a shame i couldn't even spend the fiver on anything useful like bread, milk or potatoes. It reminds me a bit of the shops you used to see in Moscow in the 80's.. hordes of people queuing for non existent staples with empty shelves all around them!!!

[bon3yard]

It stinks. It stinks. It stinks. Heh.

[Fuschia]

"Dear xx,

Thank you for your recent email regarding the access of the above store.

I apologise for the delay in getting back to you, I sent your email over to the refit manager and store's operations manager yesterday and the problem is being looked into as a matter of priority.

I will get back to you when I have anymore information.

Regards"

[bon3yard]

I've sent them another email too, yet to hear back.

[Lizziedjango]

Oh my gosh, I have previously waxed lyrical about the Co-op whole chickens, but not now!

I bought a chicken yesterday from the Forest Hill Rd Co-op with the intention of having it for our family evening dinner. I prepared everything later on and when it came to doing the chicken the smell of being 'off' was overwhelming.

Annoyingly, I had to take it back to the shop late yesterday evening hoping for a swap, but was told that they had had problems (again) with their fridge temperatures and had had to throw all the whole chickens out. I was given a refund, but had to buy strips of chicken instead for our evening meal.

I am a bit annoyed about this because I have young children, and had I not been quite as fastidious I might have cooked the chicken and they could have been ill. Anyway, I rang the customer services central number regarding this issue, and they were very apologetic. Apparently a new manager is taking over the store today; I hope things improve.

I wonder if they will be able to move the fruit and veg areas so that people can squeeze through the oh so narrow aisles.

[bon3yard]

The same thing happened to me the other day albeit the chicken was reduced to clear...and I didnt take it home! The lovely lady behind the counter gave it a sniff and warned me off.

[Lizziedjango]

Mine wasn't reduced to clear, unlike yours bon3yard. The use by date was today's! I spoke to the new manager today, and he sounded overwhelmed with issues. He was meant to ring me back when they got a new delivery of chickens. But he hasn't...:(

[PeckhamRose]

Why aren't you all beating a trail to Chav's backdoor? Her's will be fresh... Freerange too!

[Lizziedjango]

Que?

[bon3yard]

The whole problem with the Co-Op is its size, I watched the last manager(who was only there for 2 months)go from chirpy and chipper to haggard and desperate within 8 weeks..he even stopped saying hello. Maybe its cursed...the Mini-Market equivalent to Amityville. Who is this 'Chav', and whats his link to the world of poultry?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Chav = forumite called Chavwivalawdegree. She has started keeping chickens of late

That Co-op on FHR has always struck me as trying to be all things to all people in a unit that is just way too small. I have seen reps from HO in there talking to managers and giving them a hard time in the past as well. Maybe it is all the various managers fault, but after a while you start to wonder if the problem is something else..

[bon3yard]

Ah, that Chav...a lovely lass by all accounts, well LozzyLozs account anyway.

[Lizziedjango]

I think the problem is soemthing else SeanMacGabhann. Apparently, bon3yard is right that there have been a succession of managers of this Co-op. The store really has the potential to do a thriving trade, if only it got its act together.

The store design is beyond awful; the selection of produce is awful too. Don't get me started on the meat quality either!! I heard another guy ranting on at them regarding him always buying meat which was off. This is possibly an environmental health issue. I am wondering if it is worth informing the council.

Ater all, the store has got to sort out these alleged 'fridge temperature problems'. I am wondering if the problem isn't the fridges at all, but rather staff failing to fill the fridges, instead leaving meat stacked out back or something. :(

[Sue]

If "off" meat is an ongoing issue, then yes, I would be inclined to inform the council.

I don't shop there however, so it won't be me ....

Somebody could be seriously ill (or worse in the case of a child) as a result of eating the meat.

[Lizziedjango]

Thanks for that Sue! :)