Tesco Comes To Hathershaw

[poliphilo]

Go to the top of Honeywell Lane, turn left on Ashton Rd and and the second premises on the left used to be a petrol station. It closed and the site stood empty for years; then- earlier this year-  we noticed they had the builders in and wondered what they were putting up. Now we know. It's a dinky little Tesco's with a small parking lot in front. We popped in yesterday for cheesecake and brownies and bakewell tarts. This is bad news for all the small, family-run businesses in the area, but- honestly- wouldn't  you rather shop at Tesco's given the choice? I know I would.

I remember the first modern British supermarket I ever visited. It was in Lewes, Sussex- and the year was 1980. I was overwhelmed. Everything you could possibly want under one roof, well-lit and ready to hand; aisles full of gleaming fruit and veg; space to move around in; no queuing- except at the very end; no straining to catch the assistant's eye. I raved about it for weeks, months- in fact I'm still raving now.

There's a reason supermarkets have driven the high street shops to the wall. It's because the experience of shopping in a supermarket is so very much better. 

Comments

[ooxc.livejournal.com]

I saw my first supermarket in about 1959, and my mother was delighted, for many of the reasons you mention, and for "dropping-in" shopping - but she still did her weekly shop at small shops, because she could leave her shopping list and a basket and come back to find her shopping ready for her. (It was called a "self-service" then, and ours was Waitrose.)
I wonder why they didn't put the Tesco into the petrol station? I once walked up and down a road several times before realising that the Tesco I was looking for was in the petrol station

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I refuse to shop at Tescos for the reason that the phrase "Every little helps" jars so badly on my sensibilities.

[baritonejeff.livejournal.com]

Interesting. Here, where supermarkets are thick on the ground, I find myself seeking out the smaller, boutique food places. And wishing there were more of them.

If they make specialty products (sausages and such), they are often much better and more interesting. I also very much like the small, neighborhood-y atmosphere, where you know everybody's name.

But that's easy to say when I know that there's a huge supermarket on the upper end of town, which does indeed offer a much more convenient, have-everything-you-want shopping experience.

[silverhawkdruid.livejournal.com]

I have to disagree. I only go to tesco for stuff I can't get anywhere else locally. Waitrose and small town shops get my grocery cash for the most part. I won't shop at asda at all, and if I could avoid it I wouldn't shop at Tesco either. Neither supermarket chain is exactly ethically run, and it is a toss up as to which of the two is worse in my opinion. :-)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The petrol station went bust long before Tesco bought the land.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I usually shop at Sainsbury's, but this little Tesco is within easy walking distance.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

This town doesn't have much in the way of small specialist food shops. Besides which, parking in the town centre is a nightmare.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Tesco isn't my supermarket of choice. Normally I go to Sainsbury's. Where this little branch scores is that it's within easy walking distance. It's going to be invaluable for topping up on things like bread and milk- and cake.

[baritonejeff.livejournal.com]

I can't stand nightmare parking situations. It has to be somewhere pretty darn special for me to put myself through that. Even then, I'll think twice about it. Too stressful.

[petercampbell.livejournal.com]

There's some sort of statistic that shows that when Tesco arrives in your area, the overall economic prosperity of the area drops by 20%. It doesn't make a good advertisment for shopping there. Though like you I do, because the service is good, and it's convenient.