Online, offline and local island shopping
Posted: Monday, 02 April 2007 |
Comments
What - nothing from emporio alanjohn in Lionel, Lewis?
calumannabel from Quietly atonished
Oban Tescos doesn't do deliveries to anyone, except to customers of W Low, which was Tescos before Tescos had it (if you see what I mean). Anyone moving from Coll can pass on their delivery rights to someone else. I suppose a group could order using one of the priveleged fews address, but I don't think it happens much. The delivery costs probably outweigh the savings anyway. We shop when we are away, but it gets harder and harder to do; last time we abandoned the effort after we'd bought the bare necessities. It's easier to get it on Coll, you don't have to walk so far and it is quicker, friendlier and parking is easy. And the pomegranites in Morrisons were rubbish, but Island Stores were good. The shop is great for fruit and veg, but it only comes in twice a week, so you have to pick the right day. If stock is left on the day the new stuff comes in it won't sell, and that's the profit gone. Meat is normally very local (our own) and they are our eggs. I wouldn't eat a lobster anywhere else, or scallops, but I've never picked them off the beach. Drink is Laithwaites. They are brilliant, up with Amazon and Screwfix on the online shopping top ten.
Nic from Coll
Let's hear it for the local shops! The more we use them the fresher the stuff will be. Supermarkets are spawn of the devil! And mostly the checkout assistants are either a) bloody miserable because the pay and conditions are rubbish or b) quite nice really but far too busy to chew the fat. Whereas the Stromness Deli guys and gals will hae a spik and Fletts provide the best humour and trade the finest quality insults anywhere. Ever. The meat and veg are very fine too.
Flying Cat from grinning with davydoreenmariefionakay.......
The stores in Swainbost and Cross in Ness are good for groceries and hardware. There's a surprising wool and craft shop next the Habost Clinic, but I'm still waiting for a clothes shop to open in Cross. The name "Cross Dressing" is crying out to be used on a shop front. (I've always liked "Thistle Do Nicely" on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh too)
Annie B from the usual
> Let's hear it for the local shops! The more we use them the fresher the stuff will be. "Flying Cat". In an ideal world, yes. Sadly, your utopia does not exist here. What do you do if: - the shopkeeper doesn't open till 2pm - you are housebound and therefore have only a few hours to get your supplies in. worse if it is raining then - the shopkeeper won't run a local delivery service - the shopkeeper won't publicise offers and good things - but instead, the shopkeeper sends round threatening "use it or lose it" letters, blaming the old infirm people who travel on the care bus to the coop for the shop losing trade and upsetting them - the shopkeeper is rarely in the shop himself, but employs staff instead then complains at staff wages - the shopkeeper has an expectation of making a profit every month - and in the summer the place is packed - but complains by letter again if he makes a loss one month - ... despite most self-employed people having bad months e.g. a fisherman who cannot travel out in very bad weather, does not empathise with them but expects unwavering support, no matter how irrelevant the stock selection is - the shopkeeper is hardly destitute, owning a wide range of cars / vehicles / land rovers. Hardly struggling. - even in busy times there is no extra or as you put it "fresher" stuff
Roddy from An island in the Uists
I'd like to hear more about the surprising wool and craft shop....
Flying Cat from shocked by sheep
Your situation on the islands is obviously quite different from an urban setting, but even here where I live, my "local shops" are Sainsburys and Morrisons, and I agree that the latter is the spawn of the devil :-) because they closed the PO when they took over from Safeway, so I boycotted them.
Jill from EK
One thing am discovering is that the shop situation is very different up and down the Outer Hebrides. Also, "Community Shop" and "Local Shop" are meant in many different ways. Doesn't appear that any two communities has the same sitation.
Digital Sands from Berneray
The wool shop in Habost isn't as surprising as the man arrested in Stornoway last year for trying to cast off a boat. Talking of which, have you seen the new Gazette website? I tested out the search by typing in "Godwin" - a must for Jeremy's fans.
Annie B from the usual
Right....
Flying Cat from not ever moving oot west
I am thinking of opening a virtual eatery and grocery store. Visitors pay by credit card, and I send them pictures of the real meal or product (tropical, subtropical, any season of the year: we aim to please). Prices are guaranteed to be reasonable, and certainly cheaper than at Safeway, Sainsbury's and certainly Harrod's etc. No purchase will be too small, and the store would be open round the clock. Free delivery also. Complaints will be dealt with summarily (by being ignored). Well, what do you starving IB participants think of this (already patented, copyrighted) coup de genie?!
mjc from NM,USA
I tried AnnieB, as a true enthusiast and fan of Da Mighty G, but the Gazette site was not playing...
Flying Cat from sadly godwinless
Try this link for a Godwin fix FC: http://www.stornowaytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=3250&ArticleID=1176937
Annie B from the stacks at the Gazette archives
Pure dead stupendous AnnieB! Five topics in one (relatively) short letter. It's a stoater!
Flying Cat from on a godwin high
you lot shouldn't complain-we don't even have a shop in our village-bakers van comes three times a week and only sells bread, great for oap's who don't drive
carol from baskinginthesun
A baker who only sells bread? That's dreadful! Does he not have Paris buns?
Flying Cat from justpoppingdowntheDeli
fc, he also sells croissants-yuk; i remember ,living in a farm in scotland and the baker's van had a some grocery items as well,but here-well its a differant way of life-less and less community spirit
carol from the usual place
croissants-yuk? Someone and indeed sometwo not a paw's breadth away from me rather like croissants...dripping with butter....slathered in jam...partnered by a big steaming bidet of rich dark aromatic..... coffee!
Flying Cat from patting a plump rump
fc: yyuuuurrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!
carol from feeling sick