Trouble at Val's

[DrDom]

"Oh hush Dom with that kind of talk!"

Sainsbury's local spokesperson on local affairs.

[buggie]

Pleased to say the regular display will be out there tomorrow - went into Val's about an hour ago and a Market Inspector was there - sounds like the council guy who gave them grief should have consulted with him before throwing orders around.

Nisha was v amused that I'd heard about this on the forum!

[KalamityKel]

If, just say another shop had opened along that stretch or even indeed in the place where Sainsbury's is, and they were told in their application they couldn't use the space outside for display like other shops would you not think they might question why? In return for the council or "market inspector" to look in to the situation which may have been forgotten about in the past.

I'm certainly NOT or ever have been a representative of Sainsbury's. I don't see why, even if you don't approve of chains invading the local community, accusations should be thrown about in the manner it already has on this thread. Check out the facts before spouting the damnation of a business which is set to stay AND also become a part of the community we all reside in. (tu)

[stereforth]

A friend of mine ran a video shop in LL near Goose green some years back. Coincidentally, soon after Sainsbury's opened on DKH, parking restrictions were increased and very heavily enforced. Council officers regularly inspected his premises for by-law infringements. This was not isolated. According to him it became a frequent complaint of traders in competition with Sainsbury's. Surely just a coincidence.

[ruffers]

Given how many people were worried about car parking problems in the run up to the opening of this Sainsburys I'd say they may have just been reflecting the concerns of local residents...

[Kalamiphile]

Am I the only person that missed the opening of another supermarket? Where is this new Sainsbury's, thought Tesco metro's monopolised the market!

[Jah Lush]

On Lordship Lane, 50 yards from The Plough.

[Kalamiphile]

Aah, the end I rarely see. Did any one want a supermarket up that end?

[steveo]

Nisha is smiling ear to ear and thanks the thread's posters for their support. Power to the people

[Jah Lush]

That's what I like about Nisha, always smiling. Lovely lady.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I remember years ago on here Nisha had several pages of positive write-ups. A few of us printed them off and showed her and she was sooo made up.

[DrDom]

"Check out the facts before spouting the damnation of a business which is set to stay AND also become a part of the community we all reside in."

Response from spokesperson for Sainsbury's local on accusations Sainsbury's was trying to push out independant local traders by having the council in their pocket.

[ClareC]

DrDom Wrote:

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

> "You can't go accusing Sainsburys or anyone at

> Sainsbury's of this with no evidence whatsoever!

> What is this a vigilante thread! "

>

> Fully paid up member of the Sainsbury's mafia.

err no, no link to Sainsburys at all.......... sorry to disapoint ;-) I buy local where possible (more so now I am on maternity leave) but do use Sainsburys (and Somerfield) where necessity or convenience dictate.

I am glad Nisha is pleased by this post, I use her shop (and continue to do so), she is always very friendly and helpful :-)

[louisiana]

Kalamiphile Wrote:

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

> Am I the only person that missed the opening of

> another supermarket? Where is this new

> Sainsbury's, thought Tesco metro's monopolised the

> market!

I missed it too. And I live around the corner.

Last week I went to Sainsbury's DKH for first time in a year. I looked into the eyes of some mackerel on the fish counter, and decided it was just too long since the fishies had breathed their last.

Will continue to buy fruit and veg at Val's, which I've been using since some people on this forum were in short pants.

[mrsw]

I haven't read the entire thread but just wanted to say Val's is great, Nisha is so friendly and the fruit is fantastic! Have decided to buy a bit more there to show support with Sainsurys now being competition.

[jim_the_chin]

I'm going to open a stall on North Cross Lane selling tin foil hats - I'll do a roaring trade judging by this thread.

Is the contention that the manager of Sainburys contacted the council to get a man to go and try to put Val out of business by moving her stall back a few yards off the pavement?

Would he act alone without the conivance of his superiors? Is the suggestion that this is a high level strategy by the owners of Sainsburys?

Might the risk of discovery of this strategy and the national negative publicity it would receive outweigh the need to nick a few spuds and milk off val?

Might there be a simpler explanation based around council jobsworthness and incompetence?

For the record, I like Sainsburys, I like Val's, and I don't like teenage conspiracists.

Cue posts telling me to wake up - man.

[Amelie]

If Nisha managed to obtain this local government officer's name she should report him to the relevant Chief Officer for misconduct and disrepute, as well as abuse of authority.

Also, I would have thought, although I may be wrong, that as Val's has been there so long that it would have 'grandfather' rights in terms of any new licensing requirements.

[Timster]

jim_the_chin Wrote:

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

> I'm going to open a stall on North Cross Lane

> selling tin foil hats - I'll do a roaring trade

> judging by this thread.

>

> Is the contention that the manager of Sainburys

> contacted the council to get a man to go and try

> to put Val out of business by moving her stall

> back a few yards off the pavement?

>

> Would he act alone without the conivance of his

> superiors? Is the suggestion that this is a high

> level strategy by the owners of Sainsburys?

>

> Might the risk of discovery of this strategy and

> the national negative publicity it would receive

> outweigh the need to nick a few spuds and milk off

> val?

>

> Might there be a simpler explanation based around

> council jobsworthness and incompetence?

>

>

> For the record, I like Sainsburys, I like Val's,

> and I don't like teenage conspiracists.

>

>

> Cue posts telling me to wake up - man.

Yes, maybe, probabaly, no and possibly.

Of course Sainsburys will be doing their best to maximise their advantage over the competition and this will include lobbying the council to ensure that other traders don't have a competitive advantage over them. I really am completely flummoxed by the posts defending Sainsburys - they really don't need defending!

You would have to be very naive to think this sort of thing doesn't happen. And the people at Sainsburys are only doing their job - they put a shop there to make money not to become a part of the community. For the record, I quite like the fact that they've moved there - I buy stuff there that Val's doesn't sell otherwise I use Val's. I suspect it's increasing the footfall on that part of LL so more customers for everyone.

But there really is no other likely explanation for some busybody at the council turning up out of the blue (and without consulting the market inspector first it seems) than that the issue was raised by a third party and the most likely culprit is Sainsburys. This is how corporate business works - Sainsburys doesn't make profits by keeping other local traders in business!

Wake up and smell the coffee (10p cheaper at Val's as it happens).

[agathoise]

This should perhaps be a separate thread called something like "Buy local - it makes sense" but for anyone needing butter today, Spreadable Lurpack in 500g packs is exactly ?1 cheaper at the Post Office shop next to the new Sainsbury's local than it is at the Sainsburys'.

Sainsbury's price ?2.79

Post-Office shop price: ?1.79

Hope this helps someone,

Agathoise

PS. On topic - glad to see Nisha's fruit and veg display back to normal today! She was singing the praises of her "young customer" who rang up the council and sorted things out; she was full of smiles. Someone -- SteveO? -- should take a bow!

[intexasatthe moment]

Oh I'm so glad if someone has offered advice /helped out.

They're so helpful and kind in Val's .

I love them.

[sambobia]

agathoise Wrote:

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

> This should perhaps be a separate thread called

> something like "Buy local - it makes sense"

.

Yup. Price and quality in local shops -- butchers, fishmongers, fruit and veg etc -- generally beats supermarkets, especially Sainsburys. Buy local.

[DonGee]

Can someone tell me which one of the shops is Vals?

[Mamma Mia]

Next door to Red Apples newsagents

[Jah Lush]

Opposite Dulwich Library.

[Sherwick]

Ah yes, Val's is good. The P Off next to Sainsbury's is horrible (well the people who work in there are IMHO) and really does p me right off.