Marple Shops V Asda

[ringi]

How about Milk, the Co-Op at the garage did not have any last night and the main Co-Op only had the 1L bottles left!  We need dependable food shopping open at normal times, e.g until at least 10pm, if not mid night.

Also we don’t have time to queue up at lots of shops, so we expect to be able to do all of our food shopping without having to pay at more than one till.

[finetimefontaine]

The bottom line from all of this [disregarding fairly offensive comments like 'what a load of tripe'] is that different types of people demand different types of product. The shops either cater for that or don't. Choice in Marple has improved in recent years as has quality. There are still some gaps but customer demand will change that....it's what's changed everything so far to get us where we are in the shopping centre in recent years.

Hello Heritage: I think "load of tripe" was intended as a pun on the subject matter - not to cause offence.  It was meant to be funny although it didn't make me laugh. People are far too easily offended on this site. In fact, I think that some of you just sit there waiting to be offended so you can write in. On the subject matter though I agree. Marple does have a "few gaps" but for a town it's size it caters fairly well for the customer base. 

[Heritage]

The bottom line from all of this [disregarding fairly offensive comments like 'what a load of tripe'] is that different types of people demand different types of product. The shops either cater for that or don't. Choice in Marple has improved in recent years as has quality. There are still some gaps but customer demand will change that....it's what's changed everything so far to get us where we are in the shopping centre in recent years.

[chicken lady]

]Sorry Dave, I don't think you grasp the concept of footfall People are very lazy, if they park at Hibbert Lane, they will not walk down to the centre.

O even observed at my gym that cars loop the car park to get close to teh entrance when they are supposed to be going in for excercise!

speak for yourself Duke, if I take the car to Marple I usually park in Derby Way, walk to nearby Littlewoods butchers and Neals greengrocers, put my shopping in the car and walk over to the co-op for any other bits that I need. If I park in the co-op then I walk over to Littlewoods / Neals. It doesn't matter to me how many supermarkets there are in marple, I will continue to use the local buthcers and greengrocers who provide much better quality and value for money

[Duke Fame]

So these local shops manage to survive and thrive in the face of the existing competition from the Co-op and Iceland - because they offer better quality than supermarkets, and often at a lower price (certainly in fruit and veg).  So no doubt they will continue to do so when Asda come along.  And as it is generally  accepted that more people will shop in Marple when we have a proper supermarket, then the increase in 'footfall' will mean more shoppers using the local shops too.

Meanwhile I think we must remain sceptical about the extent to which Asda will provide serious competition to Harmony Decor, Pads Paws and Claws, Edel carpets, Alan's Paints, Harrod's Car Spares, the jewellers etc etc.   Duke writes: 

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

I shop regularly in Morrison's.   You could get a tin of white gloss there, and a can of WD40, but if I were Alan or Mr Harrod, or the Hollins people, I wouldn't be losing any sleep over this.   

Sorry Dave, I don't think you grasp the concept of footfall People are very lazy, if they park at Hibbert Lane, they will not walk down to the centre.

O even observed at my gym that cars loop the car park to get close to teh entrance when they are supposed to be going in for excercise!

[Dave]

So these local shops manage to survive and thrive in the face of the existing competition from the Co-op and Iceland - because they offer better quality than supermarkets, and often at a lower price (certainly in fruit and veg).  So no doubt they will continue to do so when Asda come along.  And as it is generally  accepted that more people will shop in Marple when we have a proper supermarket, then the increase in 'footfall' will mean more shoppers using the local shops too.

Meanwhile I think we must remain sceptical about the extent to which Asda will provide serious competition to Harmony Decor, Pads Paws and Claws, Edel carpets, Alan's Paints, Harrod's Car Spares, the jewellers etc etc.   Duke writes: 

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

I shop regularly in Morrison's.   You could get a tin of white gloss there, and a can of WD40, but if I were Alan or Mr Harrod, or the Hollins people, I wouldn't be losing any sleep over this.   

[Duke Fame]

Do you call that a big shop ask some familes how much they can save at a proper supermarket

I bet they waste more than they 'save'

[alex]

Things that Marple shops struggle to provide - fresh herbs; a full range of organic and/or free range meats and poultry; a full range of organic fruits and vegetables; fresh pasta; fresh juices; a wide range of wines. Apart from that - in food and drink terms - I agree that local shops are good and should be well patronised.

what a load of tripe, you can get free range meats from both butchers in marple D&S whites and littlewoods, and they get all there meats from local farmers..
fresh herbs, what i need from the garden..
wine and beer well there is about 5 shops in marple which sell them so im sure if you want something they can get it in for you..
fruit and veg, well marple as two shops which ive never had a problems..
fresh pasta, dont know coz i dont care about it much..

[Duke Fame]

Things that Marple shops struggle to provide - fresh herbs; a full range of organic and/or free range meats and poultry; a full range of organic fruits and vegetables; fresh pasta; fresh juices; a wide range of wines. Apart from that - in food and drink terms - I agree that local shops are good and should be well patronised.

Fresh herbs? Both fruit & veg places do them as well as the coop. Both butchers do far fresher meat than the big 4, are you sure they don't do organic?

As for wine, between the coop and bargain booze we're covered better than the big 4 for booze.

I know the supermarket 'fresh' pasta is pasteurised rubbish but the coop is pretthmuch the same. Don't toast & ATS do fresh pasta?

[Heritage]

Things that Marple shops struggle to provide - fresh herbs; a full range of organic and/or free range meats and poultry; a full range of organic fruits and vegetables; fresh pasta; fresh juices; a wide range of wines. Apart from that - in food and drink terms - I agree that local shops are good and should be well patronised.

[Duke Fame]

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.

Because knowledge is power Dave.

There are times when I pass Moggys as the Duchess' business is over that way, I also have to do the mother in laws shopping if we haven't arranged a delivery for her and the supermarket near her is Asda.

Otherwise, i can't see what one needs that isn't available on a Saturday in Marple. 8pm on a weekday is another issue and I do wonder if shops would benefit from a late opening night

[amazon]

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.

Do you call that a big shop ask some familes how much they can save at a proper supermarket

[Heritage]

Yep!

[Dave]

Which translated into English I think means something like 'if a new supermarket were to be built in Marple it might mean that we would not longer have to go somewhere else to do our weekly shop'?

[Heritage]

If Marple already has relatively more empty retail space than its neighbouring small towns irrespective of an alleged supermarket build - and much of the discussion on the forum seems entirely speculative - then there is arguably something amiss with its existing demographic in relation to how its population and its shops are aligned. It is entirely possible, that being the context, that a new large retail development would correct some of that disconnect. Testing that would need an objective piece of work around retail demographics in the locality, which as far as I can ascertain hasn't been undertaken - happy to be corrected!