BS: Local Shops

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 02:32 AM

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: C-flat
Date: 23 Nov 02 - 08:05 PM

The one thing that kept the "little" shops alive was the after-hours and Sunday trade. It was the fact that they were "convenience" stores, trading long after the high street was closed and all over the weekend, that gave them a chance to compete with the big retailers.
Once the supermarkets started trading evenings and weekends the game was up for the independants.
Most members of the public begrudge giving a trader his profit when they can buy it cheaper elsewhere but get all misty-eyed about the disappearance of the corner shop.
Every housing estate has a shopping parade, but aside from the newsagent, pharmacy, post office and hairdresser, what's left?
Use it or lose it!
C-flat(ex-retailer)

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 23 Nov 02 - 04:13 PM

heloo, there is a new tescos in Beverly, but loads of people don't use it, I don't either.
thanks for refeshing this guest, this is an important thing, but most people arent bothered, not many people wrote to it, soon there will be no little shops left.john

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Nov 02 - 04:11 PM

In Juneau, Alaska, there is no such thing as a local produce shop, or butcher shop either. It's an urban area, stretching 46 miles from end to end. So even though the ocean has for millenia provided local residents with mussels, clams, various kinds of crab, shrimp, abalone and salmon, halibut and rockfish, sea kelp, sea lettuce and wild rhubarb, all of which and more are still harvested by many, 30,000 people would probably wipe it out in a hurry if that's all we subsisted on.

So all of our foodstuffs are shipped in. From time to time I have to remind myself that a couple of generations ago fresh produce came in only a couple of times a year. The quality of a lot of it is not very high but at least it's here.

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Gareth
Date: 23 Nov 02 - 03:32 PM

Well here in Ystrad Mynach - Old south Wales we have a shop in the Village. The Only time it closes is between 2000 hrs Sat, Opens 1000 Hrs Sunday, Closes again 1600 Sunday and opens again 0800 hrs Monday.

Its called TESCO's

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: GUEST,Peter from Essex
Date: 23 Nov 02 - 08:34 AM

Most "local" groceries are either chains or franchises and the supermarkets are trying to buy into these.

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 10:03 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Grab
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 07:47 AM

Edward, he's looking at the precious things!

What's that? We'll have no trouble here!

(sorry, Geordie got me started... :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: EarlofSidcup
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 02:00 AM

There is no doubt that a greengrocers is the best place to buy veg. I never buy veg or meat in a supermarket. And 'organic' is the biggest rip-off ever.

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 07:39 AM

We try to support local shops but they have to offer something in return.

There is a 24hr garage about a mile up the road from me which is also a Spar? shop. They bought out the nearby local post office/shop and although the people who run it are local, I try to avoid using it. One can make allowances on prices but this place IMO takes the piss. Unfortunately it seems to be a gold mine though although my mother has remarked she never sees the old faces that used to use the old shop - almost as a village meeting place at times.

Cromer has a few shops we use, the hardware shop is excellent, reasonably priced (often cheaper than B&Q, etc.) and you get friendly service from someone who knows what they are talking about. I could say the same for the electrical shop who seems to have everything I have wanted in that line - so far multimeter, a few metres of 2.5mm cable, junction boxes, ni-cad battery charger... I wish the computer shops were as good - I'd use them if they were...

One thing we have in this part of Norfolk that I feel we don't use enough are the farm shops and places on the side of the road - you can get some great fresh produce at very reasonable prices round here.

Just thinking vegatables, we got some carrots the other day - rejects - "misshapes" that taste fine at 8p per pound. My mum looked around after at prices - good carrots from a farm place - 18p per pound - carrots from the garrage -60p per pound.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: GUEST,gnomad (from work, no cookie)
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 03:28 AM

John from Hull, and Willa

Yes that was the one, funny that following "old pubs" in the past only got me A song for Ireland, I must understand this place better. Interestingly it was from the Hull area that I remember hearing the song, a case of local memory keeping a song going.

Best of luck with the campaign (if it is one).

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: MMario
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 12:40 PM

Having *any* local shops would be a pleasure...I always have to laugh at various cooking shows where they say "have your butcher...." - right. Ever asked a chain store supermarket butcher to do anything?

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Maryrrf
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 12:34 PM

At least in the British Isles you still have local shops and pubs. Where I live (Richmond, VA) they seem to be a dying breed - hardware stores, small grocery stores, etc. just can't hold out against the Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday's, Walmarts, Home Depots, Costco, Sam's Club, etc. etc. Oh there are still some, but many have gone out of business while they keep building more "chains" restaurants and megastores. It's kind of scary!

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: John Routledge
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 12:37 PM

A local shop for local people starred in "League of Gentlemen" Not surprisingly it was a surreal comedy.

Geordie

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 11:40 AM

Well said Wyrd Sister, Whats all this shouting? !!!

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 11:33 AM

Be careful of the precious things! Local shops are for local people!

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: EarlofSidcup
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 12:25 PM

You might have three Asdas in Hull but do you have a Waitrose, which is excellent on fish, and a lot of other things too. Well the one at Cambridge is, anyway.

Is there any fish left in the North Sea?

Who want to wait in a queue with a lot of Hull fishwives???

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 11:14 AM

The lyrics to this song are in the dt.

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 11:11 AM

Thanks BOB.
gnomad-The song you are thinking about is callrd The Old Pubs, it was written by Johnny Handle.Bill Sables sings a good version of it on his CD called Before The Beard Turned Grey.

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: 53
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 10:45 AM

GOOD POST JOHN FROM HULL BOB

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Willa
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 10:45 AM

Yes gnomad, to your question. We hear it sung quite often in this area. (Hull/East Riding)

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: gnomad
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 10:40 AM

There's only one way I know to help fight the trend, and it's one that most who subscribe to this complaint don't follow. I mean, of course, that if you want to keep local shops then use the ones you've got, and encourage others to do likewise.

Yes, this will almost always cost you more, though in my experience not as much more as you might think, but you will often experience a level of service which supposedly no longer exists.

You are also far more likely to find local produce this way, which can be no bad thing.

We can have the type of shopping environment we are prepared to support.

To introduce a slightly musical twist, the same thing applies to pubs (chainstore plastic themed ones v. real ones) where much of the best folk is to be found...and I've just had a blast from the past, a song with chorus "They're knocking them down, the old pubs"...anyone out there know of it?

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 01:19 AM

At least I put my name on my postings.

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 12:58 AM

WHY...did you post this here?

YOU ... John of Hull....KNOW BETTER!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: Gypsy
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 11:20 PM

I do my best to keep it local, but man, it can sometimes be difficult.Living in the northwest nowhere, where everything must be "shipped in" (like merchandise grows under the store out there in the world) sometimes the price is more than i can do. So, would say we do about 80% local, the rest mail order.

Subject: RE: BS: Local Shops
From: 53
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 09:20 PM

we always try to shop in our hometown, for almost everything, i believe in keeping the revenue as close to home as possible. BOB

Subject: Local Shops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 09:14 PM

I think there are too many supermarkets in Hull and not enough local shops.In the last 2 0r 3 years at least 3 wet fish shops have closed down within walking distance of my house.This is because of supermarkets, we have now got 3 ASda's in Hull, we do not need that many.I think there sould be a limit on how many there can be in a town or city, you can get better service in a local shop because the shopkeeper knows about the product.Use your local shops while you still can.john