Regarding "Cheap" Food

[Duke Fame]

Sorry to disappoint Duke, full time employment, no benefits claimed, own all my own homes, feel generally that we as a nation including me are undertax. Taxation and the payment of it is how we belong to the club of society and we none of us should be looking to reduce our contribution.

You shoud see a council outreach worker who will no doubt help ensure you get all the benefits you are "entitled" to

[wheels]

Sorry to disappoint Duke, full time employment, no benefits claimed, own all my own homes, feel generally that we as a nation including me are undertax. Taxation and the payment of it is how we belong to the club of society and we none of us should be looking to reduce our contribution.

[Duke Fame]

what benefits do you mean Duke??

I dunno what you lefties claim these days, housing, council tax, car allowance etc etc

[wheels]

what benefits do you mean Duke??

[Duke Fame]

You seem not to understand again Henrietta, the point I am making is why should local people support local traders be it in a campaign against ASDA or just by using them if they, the traders are unwilling to support local peopl, an example of which is being open we want to use them aftwer work. Support has to be both ways and I don't see much movement from the local independent retail sector.

If I want a local builder for example he comes and sees me in the evening when I am available, why is the retail sector so unwilling to be flexable.

It's worth remembering Wheels that local businesses pay the taxes to pay your benefits

[wheels]

So if the independent retail sector dies in the fact of the supermarket competion should we care as the majority of us can't get to use them anyway

[My login is Henrietta]

You seem not to understand again Henrietta, the point I am making is why should local people support local traders be it in a campaign against ASDA or just by using them if they, the traders are unwilling to support local peopl, an example of which is being open we want to use them aftwer work. Support has to be both ways and I don't see much movement from the local independent retail sector.

If I want a local builder for example he comes and sees me in the evening when I am available, why is the retail sector so unwilling to be flexable.

Your local builder is not trailing a collection of assistants who need to be paid when he calls at your house and he is using your heating and lighting costs rather than his own business's.

(Actually, I think it unreasonable of you to expect your builder to visit out of hours)

[wheels]

You seem not to understand again Henrietta, the point I am making is why should local people support local traders be it in a campaign against ASDA or just by using them if they, the traders are unwilling to support local peopl, an example of which is being open we want to use them aftwer work. Support has to be both ways and I don't see much movement from the local independent retail sector.

If I want a local builder for example he comes and sees me in the evening when I am available, why is the retail sector so unwilling to be flexable.

[My login is Henrietta]

Well Alex if I can't use your facilities because you have restricted opening times you cannot blame working people for not using you and going to the supermarkets instead. When your closing early I am and many others will be in the supermarkets and if the independents go to the wall does it really matter if we can't use them anyway.

wheels i understand what you are saying about hours, but if independent shops which delt with fresh food wanted to open your hours they would go bust very very quickly... like i said in a early post can you not buy your fresh food you want to buy from independent shop near your works? if we change our opening hours it would be down to the customer at the end of the day with there shopping patterens

There are so few customers using Archers' that there is frequently a queue outside in the morning waiting for them to open. On Christmas Eve morning I went past just after the shop had opened and the queue was up to Hollins' shop and was several deep. Poor Archers, how CAN they stay in business whan they are SO short of customers and don't oblige people with their opening hours?

Alex, Wheels is right, Marple's independent traders are leaving money on the table by having opening hours that prevent a large number people from using their shops.

Equally, you are right about it not currently being worth their while, as there doesn't appear to be the demand for it. It's rather a chicken & egg situation. The shops won't open without the customers to support it, but the customers won't be there to support it unless the shops are open.

Local traders (across the country) missed the boat about 10/15 years ago by not moving with the times. Now, people such as myself who can't usually use local traders have our buying habits ingrained into using supermarkets which are open when I'm able to shop.

[My login is Henrietta]

Bakers will bake only during the night to ensure they have a super fresh product on the day of sale. To ask bakers to bake all day does not make any sense at all. Why would they bake all day to have product left over when the shop closes. To any small food business the obvious choice would be to sell out and ensure good stock rotation. Don't be fooled by the supermarkets baking all day. I can guarantee that they do not bake anything fresh, they just pre  programme an oven for a part baked product filled with a huge amount of additives and unnecessary ingredients and pass it off as a fresh baked loaf. The best policy is to  buy fresh, as early as possible from a good baker, deli,food store etc and enjoy a product made with love and lots of attention from somebody who cares and not from a supermarket who don't care who you are so long as you buy from them. Rant over

I accept that except that I think some of us are suggesting that the selling need not start until mid day and the baking can be done in the morning thus having the product available when most of us would want to buy[/font][/font] between say 4pm and 7.30pm.

Most of who? I suggest you go and expound this theory in any small town in France and see how far it gets you considering that most French people start work earlier than is usual here but still manage to cope with inconsiderate bakers who bake over night and either take long lunch breaks or close early in the afternoon! What about Archers' staff? If they are working until 7.30pm and shops are closed in the morning when are they supposed to do their shopping?

I have to say, Wheels, that you are either the most selfish person on this board or you "only do it to annoy because you know it teases"....

[Bluezorro]

Well said exile.
Marple will have to make a complete change once a supermarket opens, be it  late night thursdays or sunday trading or even both.

[marpleexile]

Well Alex if I can't use your facilities because you have restricted opening times you cannot blame working people for not using you and going to the supermarkets instead. When your closing early I am and many others will be in the supermarkets and if the independents go to the wall does it really matter if we can't use them anyway.

wheels i understand what you are saying about hours, but if independent shops which delt with fresh food wanted to open your hours they would go bust very very quickly... like i said in a early post can you not buy your fresh food you want to buy from independent shop near your works? if we change our opening hours it would be down to the customer at the end of the day with there shopping patterens

Alex, Wheels is right, Marple's independent traders are leaving money on the table by having opening hours that prevent a large number people from using their shops.

Equally, you are right about it not currently being worth their while, as there doesn't appear to be the demand for it. It's rather a chicken & egg situation. The shops won't open without the customers to support it, but the customers won't be there to support it unless the shops are open.

Local traders (across the country) missed the boat about 10/15 years ago by not moving with the times. Now, people such as myself who can't usually use local traders have our buying habits ingrained into using supermarkets which are open when I'm able to shop.

[alex]

Well Alex if I can't use your facilities because you have restricted opening times you cannot blame working people for not using you and going to the supermarkets instead. When your closing early I am and many others will be in the supermarkets and if the independents go to the wall does it really matter if we can't use them anyway.

wheels i understand what you are saying about hours, but if independent shops which delt with fresh food wanted to open your hours they would go bust very very quickly... like i said in a early post can you not buy your fresh food you want to buy from independent shop near your works? if we change our opening hours it would be down to the customer at the end of the day with there shopping patterens

[alex]

Alex, if a new supermarket open on chadwick st brought 1000 customers on a sunday would you open to take advantage.

if the other shops on market st open then yes we would

[wheels]

Well Alex if I can't use your facilities because you have restricted opening times you cannot blame working people for not using you and going to the supermarkets instead. When your closing early I am and many others will be in the supermarkets and if the independents go to the wall does it really matter if we can't use them anyway.