M&S on Lordship Lane

[Beej]

Get back to your local independent you absolute backstabbers #ShopLocal my arse hahahahaha!

[LondonMix]

People want to see what its like. I think the 4 threads on M&S on the forum are much sadder than going to see it on opening day. And yes I'm sad for being on this thread and no I didn't go to the opening this morning...

Alan Medic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> titch juicy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > That queue, or more to the point, the fact that

> > people are actually queuing, is hilarious.

>

>

> I'd say there's something sad about it. What are

> people expecting to find? Narnia?

[Beej]

No, you're wrong. Nothing's sadder then standing in that queue. And I can only imagine that taking the piss out of those who do, is much more fun.

[DulwichFox]

Let me explain a little bit about the queue....

15 mins before opening There was no queue.. 30 mins before opening there was no one outside.

People were not exactly sleeping on the pavement to be the first customer.

One noticable character in the queue was the big guy with the pony tail who normally sits outside The Co-op.

You may catch a glimpse if I bother to put up a clip from my Youtube channel.

Foxy

[hellosailor]

Whoa whoah whoa, hang on there were KIDS in there? In a supermarket during holidays? Are you shitting me?

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Well I have been in and bought some prosecco,

> along with some fancy cheese and chutney.

>

> Ridiculous queues, and people with bloody kids

> blocking the aisles. But overall a pleasant

> experience and very friendly staff.

>

> Louisa.

[Dee Dee]

Well I must admit I did go along to see inside M&S today and I did stand in the queue to be served, however at least all tills were manned and the staff were friendly and actually smiled when they served you. If this service had been experienced in the Co-Op we might not have jumped ship so readily. Well done M&S I say.

[derwentgrove]

I for one am glad that Louisa ventured inside. By contrast I feel distinctly let down that Dulwich Fox did not offer us a post-Jaflong dirty protest in the produce aisle.

BTW Louisa, if you had upgraded from Prosecco to Champagne and acquired an M & S card today you would have been offered some free roses.

[Sue]

I went in about 4.30 ish (hoping that the queue out into the street at the Post Office might have shortened by the time I came out again - it hadn't) and it was still rammed.

However the guy on the door was neither giving people a cheery smile (at least he didn't give me one) nor handing out baskets.

And the guy at the checkout didn't give me a cheery smile either.

I imagine they were all knackered by that time.

I was pleasantly surprised by many of the prices which were lower than I expected. And I thought the range of food etc was very good, and the Co-op are going to be very badly hit because I'm sure people would rather pay a bit more (if it is in fact a bit more) and shop at M&S.

BUT

I have just activated my "Sparks" card which I picked up. M&S donate money to charity each time it's used. Sounds good, eh?

BUT

They donate - wait for it - 1p per TRANSACTION. Yes, people, even if you spend ?100 in there at once, M&S will generously donate just 1p to charity.

That is just totally pathetic, in my opinion.

[Louisa]

hellosailor Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Whoa whoah whoa, hang on there were KIDS in there?

> In a supermarket during holidays? Are you shitting

> me?

>

>

> Louisa Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Well I have been in and bought some prosecco,

> > along with some fancy cheese and chutney.

> >

> > Ridiculous queues, and people with bloody kids

> > blocking the aisles. But overall a pleasant

> > experience and very friendly staff.

> >

> > Louisa.

I have no issue with well behaved children entering a retail environment, my gripe comes when some parents, the minority, make the assumption everyone is happy for their little darlings to be running riot and not being kept in check when a lot of people are trying to navigate a relatively small space.

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

Sounds like people will be able to get served super fast at the Co-op now with smaller queues there..

Silver Lining .. Hey -oh.

Foxy

[Louisa]

Foxy did you enter inside today?

It was a double edged sword experience for me. A nice environment has been created, and some friendly staff. But all the memories of Elsie and the Iceland team came flooding back and I still miss them all dearly.

Louisa.

[Mrs TP]

Alan Medic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

>

>

> I'd say there's something sad about it. What are

> people expecting to find? Narnia?

Alan Medic - they are in the fruit & veg section and they are called ba-narnias ;)

[jaywalker]

I am tucking in to chicken with wild garlic, new potatoes, and Italian salad. Very nice, and not something I could make at home. Then fruit that I know is ripe without having to squeeze it.

This store is truly impressive. I only regret no deli counter as in Kensington: there is room if they got rid of the far corner devoted to greetings cards and what have you.

Sparks loyalty may be parsimonious to charity but it gives a few freebies to customers along the way, often ?5 off over ?25 shopping etc.

Glad to see Big Issue seller has realised he needs to move to where the action is :-).

Saw some of the co-op staff out for a smoke - guess I feel for them.

Worried about only two non-self-checkout aisles - but very large number of self-checkout with two staff. Saturdays will be interesting.

No musac, and no patronising 'don't eat butter etc' from 'co-op radio' greatly added to the charm, as did the welcome hallo, smiles by staff and readiness to help.

M and S Foodhalls are very profitable (unlike their clothing currently). I wonder why?

Typical effect on local house prices about ?25K (Waitrose about ?30K but that will come).

[Elphinstone's Army]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sounds like people will be able to get served

> super fast at the Co-op now with smaller queues

> there..

>

> Silver Lining .. Hey -oh.

>

> Foxy

Foxy, you will be a one man queue

[Barn Seeker]

That's the easiest 25k I've ever made.

And to all those who went today...I'm having a wild guess here...but was it kind of like all their other stores?

[Elphinstone's Army]

jaywalker, : your dinner sounds good only missing a glass of crisp white wine - I thought the card section was out of place, as we are not short of excellent card shops on LL and NCR so perhaps your remarks are prescient and this will disappear to make way for a mini deli.

It was lovely to be in a brightly lit, clean shiny well stocked, colourful, good quality fresh food, shop.

after the dismal Coop, third rate offerings and ennervating queues.

Yes I noticed the Big Issue seller, he said he had done well today.

I bought figs and coffee, was tempted by pizza, it is no place for the weak willed and prevaricating shopper,

although as I am both, I will probably be in again tomorrow.

Happy shopping, y'all

[Elphinstone's Army]

Barn Seeker Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> That's the easiest 25k I've ever made.

>

> And to all those who went today...I'm having a

> wild guess here...but was it kind of like all

> their other stores?

You can sneer and gloat as much as you can carry, we had fun today,

in our lookalike Marks and Spencer

[jaywalker]

Barn Seeker Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> That's the easiest 25k I've ever made.

>

> And to all those who went today...I'm having a

> wild guess here...but was it kind of like all

> their other stores?

Congratulations on your winnings.

However, you are wrong about cloning. Compare for example with the dated M and S on Walworth Road. This is larger (for food) and much more ambitiously stocked. They know their market, and were making a real effort today.

You could get a 0.5% interest rate loan on your winnings and try their stuff :-)

[TheCat]

There's an m&s on lordship lane? Someone should have said.....

[hpsaucey]

Just ordered school clothing and this one popped up for local delivery already which has saved me bloody hours tramping to one of their bigger stores this Saturday. Or so I thought... queues huh.

HP

[HelBel65]

Well, yes but if you spend a few quid on a sandwich and a drink, they also donate 1p, correct? Across all their stores, I can see that mounting up quite fast.

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have just activated my "Sparks" card which I

> picked up. M&S donate money to charity each time

> it's used. Sounds good, eh?

>

> BUT

>

> They donate - wait for it - 1p per TRANSACTION.

> Yes, people, even if you spend ?100 in there at

> once, M&S will generously donate just 1p to

> charity.

>

> That is just totally pathetic, in my opinion.

[DovertheRoad]

I can't wait to try this store out. I have never been to M&S before.

[DulwichFox]

I am sure the mass hysteria will soon decrease ..and the queues die down like they have at Franco Manca.

Looks like the electrical problem at the new to be MEATliquor is being resolved so likely to be the next 'Fad on the Lane' when they open.

DulwichFox

[Louisa]

Waitrose seem to be staying schtum on social media about their rival taking a punt on East Dulwich.

Louisa.

[bob]

Yes I think they have got it wrong only 2 manned tills Co.Op has 5 sometimes and there are still queues space between the display's is also a bit tight.

Bob S