Marple Shops V Asda

[HWL1973]

Marple has more empty retail premises than Glossop, Buxton and Whaley Bridge -  all of which have large supermarket a fair distance away from the town centre. Make of this what you will.

As for the likes of paint, DIY, car related stuff in supermarkets, it's never more than a token effort on their part. You'd never go into a supermarket for anything requiring advice on any of these matters - which most DIY and car stuff entails.

[Dave]

I did my big shop yesterday in Marple. I really wonder what you guys buy that is not available locally. I purchased some bacon & a joint at the butchers. Milk & some frozen stuff at iceland. Vegetables at the fruit & veg shop, 2 cod loins at the fishmongers and bread at the bakers opposite teh co-op. I didn't even have to go in the co-op for anything. I spent £17, no petrol or parking and did it all in 25 mins. I can't understand what people think they will get in Asda that isn't already available and therefore, how do you think it will not reduce the trade for the existing shops?

That's very impressive, Duke.  So why do you go to Morrison's (or Moggy's, as you call it)?  And indeed, Asda, where you must also be a customer if you have this much inside knowledge of what they sell: 

They do sell paint, DIY bits, they will do a prescription, they will do an eye exam & glasses, they will sell some car bits.

[Duke Fame]

Pharmacy in Sainsburys Hazel Grove and Glossop Tesco,A lot of the big sites have them and petrol stations, and Marple is a big site!

But no pharmacy in Tesco, Portwood. I believe that the Pharmacy's in supermarkets have to go through a separate NHS approvals process and therefore are often blocked -although I think that this process is currently under review.

But then again, does Marple have an independent Pharmacy anyway - only Boots or Coop unless my mind is playing tricks on me (quite likely).

In fairness, it tends to be areas with relatively high heroin use that attract more chemists. Thankfully, Marple is not really junkie central

[Belly]

Pharmacy in Sainsburys Hazel Grove and Glossop Tesco,A lot of the big sites have them and petrol stations, and Marple is a big site!

But no pharmacy in Tesco, Portwood. I believe that the Pharmacy's in supermarkets have to go through a separate NHS approvals process and therefore are often blocked -although I think that this process is currently under review.

But then again, does Marple have an independent Pharmacy anyway - only Boots or Coop unless my mind is playing tricks on me (quite likely).

[Heritage]

Does anyone know - were any previously-popular or particularly notable shops or services in Glossop driven out of business when Tesco commenced trading or at some point thereafter? Walking around Glossop, one does get the sense that its electrical shops, market hall, confectionery shops, butchers' and other retail units are well patronised.

[Duke Fame]

I must bow to your intimate knowledge of Asda, Duke!  I have to confess I rarely go to the Asdas in Hazel Grove or Stockport.  I usually use Morrisons or occasionally the Hazel Grove Sainsbury's (when we're feeling flush!), and you cant get any of those things in either of those supermarkets. 

I was doing the Mother in Law's shop last week & her local shop is an Asda. It doesn't do petrol but does all the other services that I listed.

If I have to do a big shop it is Morrisons who do everything but the Optitians and clothing

[Dave]

Agreed - that's why neither chemists nor petrol stations featured in my list.

While we're on the subject of fuel, I see it's currently 6p per litre more expensive in Marple than it is in Bredbury. No doubt the arrival of 'Asda price' might help us a bit there too :-)

[sooty2]

Pharmacy in Sainsburys Hazel Grove and Glossop Tesco,A lot of the big sites have them and petrol stations, and Marple is a big site!

[Dave]

I must bow to your intimate knowledge of Asda, Duke!  I have to confess I rarely go to the Asdas in Hazel Grove or Stockport.  I usually use Morrisons or occasionally the Hazel Grove Sainsbury's (when we're feeling flush!), and you cant get any of those things in either of those supermarkets. 

[Duke Fame]

So Asda don't sell TVs, grundies, meat, fish, bread, fruit & veg, newspapers, milk etc etc

But they don't sell paint, wallpaper, carpets, furniture, quality clothes, jewellery, watches, craft stuff, car spares, DIY things, and they won't deal with your eye prescription or give you a hairdo or an all-over tan!   

Btw, what's are grundies?  Are they grungy undies 

They are indeed, it may be a southern term.

They do sell paint, DIY bits, they will do a prescription, they will do an eye exam & glasses, they will sell some car bits - whilst Mr Harrod can give you time & expertise he does so on the basis that he can also make a margin on oils, WD40, spanners etc. If that business goes to Asda, do you think he can really survive on being there when you need a set of trim clips for a 1973 Morris Marina that managed to get built in a union infested factory?

[Dave]

So Asda don't sell TVs, grundies, meat, fish, bread, fruit & veg, newspapers, milk etc etc

But they don't sell paint, wallpaper, carpets, furniture, quality clothes, jewellery, watches, craft stuff, car spares, DIY things, and they won't deal with your eye prescription or give you a hairdo or an all-over tan!   

Btw, what's are grundies?  Are they grungy undies 

[Duke Fame]

Miss Marple writes:

I wouldn't think.  Oh I won't get my pound of tripe, two tomatoes , or a crusty cob here, I will walk over and support and  purchase it from my local shops. 

...but she seems to have missed my point.  It's not about tripe or crusty cobs!  The majority of local shops in Marple provide goods and services that Asda wouldn't provide - and indeed, the Co-op doesn't provide.  See my list of examples in reply 1 above.   

One thing we all agree on is that more people will shop in Marple if we have a proper supermarket here.  If more people are shopping in Marple, then those many local businesses which don't compete with the supermarket can only do better.  Can't they?

So Asda don't sell TVs, grundies, meat, fish, bread, fruit & veg, newspapers, milk etc etc.

I did my big shop yesterday in Marple. I really wonder what you guys buy that is not available locally. I purchased some bacon & a joint at the butchers. Milk & some frozen stuff at iceland. Vegetables at the fruit & veg shop, 2 cod loins at the fishmongers and bread at the bakers opposite teh co-op. I didn't even have to go in the co-op for anything. I spent £17, no petrol or parking and did it all in 25 mins. I can't understand what people think they will get in Asda that isn't already available and therefore, how do you think it will not reduce the trade for the existing shops?

[Duke Fame]

I'm happy to enlighten you, Miss M, from a post which I made a month or so ago:

I went shopping in Stockport this morning.  As usual, I parked at Sainsbury's (but you can also do this at Asda, of course), went in and picked up a few fruit and veg and a loaf to get my £1 refunded, and then strolled off to Comet, Argos, Marks and Sparks and the market to do the rest of my shopping.  

That's what we can expect when Asda comes to Marple - a proportion of Asda shoppers will use the opportunity to visit other local shops while they are here.  This increased footfall should provide a major boost to most local businesses.  Of course, there will be winners and losers.  The chief losers will be the Co-op, Iceland, Boots and Superdrug.  But they are big national chains who we don't need to shed many tears for, do we!    

On the other hand, the winners will outnumber those, and they will also be the small local businesses.  In Market Street I'm thinking of the hairdressers, the two jewellers, the picture framer, Alan's Paints, Harmony Decor, Crafty Ladies, Sew In, Helen Winterson, Bare Necessities, the opticians, the charity shops, Paul Howard, also Harrods car spares, and the tanning salon and the chippy in Derby Way - all the many businesses where Asda won't directly compete.

This is on the basis of your experience in business and as a retailer? When you were running businesses, did you ever hear of the concept of footfall?

Miss M, I'm not sure why you are so confident that the business association have ignored the situation.

[Miss Marple]

Several interested parties have shown an interest  in the site but to date we are not aware of who those interested  parties are.  MIA is only focused on preventing a supermarket on Hibbert Lane because when MIA was formed there no talk of a supermarket being considered anywhere else in Marple

[amazon]

The local shops will probably be thankful for the new Asda store, as it may provide one of the few places to park in Marple once Chadwick Street car park has gone.

Where is it going who's bought it