Waitrose or M&S TYPE supermarket - do we want one on LL?

[Spooner]

I am new to the area and think the only thing missing is a supermarket that sells the high quality ready made meals that you occasionally or frequently eat depending on your lifestyle. As fabulous as the Sainsburys here is, it just doesn't come close to M&S or Waitrose on certain types of can't be bothered to cook food. If it was a small store I don't feel it would detract from the local independent shops much or cause a stampede of outsiders (or locals if the split opinions here are anything to go by) into the area. I am sure it would do extremely well and a million times better than the waste of space that is the Co-op.

[awilliams123]

Agree with the comments on the Co-op...I always walk out of there empty handed aside from some loo roll. If there was a Waitrose in it's place I think it would really add to retail environment. There is no comparison to the local butchers or fishmonger, and I would continue to buy from local businesses, but I would go to the Waitrose specifically for things that only Waitrose offer, their own brand items and specialty items. It would just be a nice addition to ED.

[v_the_gelfling]

It would be great to have something like 'Union' in fulham broadway. Use it regularly as it's near my gym and to be honest I wish I had one near home! http://www.unionmarket.co.uk/

Could def live without an m & s, not that exciting.

[tikkiuk]

yes pleaae! I think Lordship Lane would benefit massively from this - not to mention my cooking. Bored of going to Beckenham.

[Southerner39]

Well I don't think the Co-op is going anywhere, I personally think its got a lot better in recent months. It saves me have to drag myself up to Sainsbury's!

[dds29]

No thanks! No more chains, keep the independents going.I agree about an extra greengrocer.

And a bit of support for the Co-op; the goods are predominantly Fair Trade and comparatively priced with Sainsbury's.

It's fine for top up shopping, and ethically right on!

dds

[henryb]

Oh god it's back! They should make a horror film about this thread.

[Undisputedtruth]

Huguenot Wrote:

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

> Ha ha, that's the best yet UDT - you're actually

> going to cut off your nose to spite your face out

> of snobbery!!

>

> You're looking down on people who shop at

> Waitrose, so you're going to stop going there

> regardless of the quality of the product. How

> ridiculous is that.

>

> I should add that St. Thomas More hall is closing

> because nobody went there and it lost loads of

> money, not because of Supermarkets. See threads

> passim.

What makes you think I'm losing out on quality?;-)

I'm very good at seeking quality products at the right price. Probably saved a small fortune and experienced better quality since stopped shopping at Waitrose.

[jimmyay]

A waitrose would be a fantastic and welcome addition to East Dulwich and would cement the area as an aspirational place to live and bolster property prices.

[tarafitness]

We'd love to build a Waitrose in ED... and Herne Hill for that matter, the problem is that there is no location suitable unfortunately. Although Waitrose has introduced more convenience-style stores there's still a lot of space needed and most shops just don't offer that.

The current sites where the co-op and Iceland are would probably work for a smaller shop but I doubt either of them would be willing to give up their lease which is a shame as I'd dearly love to buy quality Waitrose produce locally (and be able to claim my discount)!

If you'd prefer to support local smaller businesses and buy delicious locally-grown organic veg then I'd highly recommend Local Greens (see review here), you can pick up from many locations (eg ED Deli) that are a lot closer to you than Sainsbury's ;-)

There's also the lovely greengrocer next to Pretty's caf? on Northcross Rd and SMBS Healthfoods too.

For your meat, William Rose Butchers and GG Sparkes (organic mobile butcher at the Saturday Northcross Rd market) are both excellent choices.

[The Minkey]

Not everyone in the area has the disposable income necessary to shop for 'quality' groceries on a weekly basis so I it would be a great shame if Iceland were to be replaced by a Waitrose. I popped in there a couple of times recently and found them very competetively prices for basics such as butter, Allinson's wholemeal, tea and loo roll, and being a small shop it's possible to be in and out in 5 minutes which is great if you're pressed for time.

I converted to Morrisons when I moved across from Brixton and was surprised at how much cheaper it is than Sainsburys. Rarely use the Coop as, apart from the special offers and greater choice, prices for basics are a little too close to those in my local corner shop which I'd rather support, so the Coop is one I wouldn't miss at all.

[tarafitness]

I completely agree re having a lower priced supermarket and wasn't suggesting either of them go. I must admit I've never been into Iceland as we don't tend to buy much in the way of frozen and/or branded goods, but it looks pretty busy whenever I walk past so it's obviously serving the local neighbourhood well :-)

It would be nice if the co-op sorted out their crappy chiller units as I a) don't feel like slipping on water and b) prefer meat that doesn't go off days before it's meant to!

In response to your comment "Not everyone in the area has the disposable income necessary to shop for 'quality' groceries on a weekly basis " I also agree, but would like to point out that none of our disposable income goes on 'quality' food. After we've paid the mortgage and other bills, the bulk of what's left (and that isn't much since moving to East Dulwich!!) goes on food. If there's anything left over after that then great but eating well takes precedence over socialising and extravagances and definitely wouldn't be counted as part of any 'disposable' income!

As someone with a family and a keen interest in nutrition, food and health who wants to live past 100, I am acutely aware that what I put in my body is going to help/hinder me. So wherever/whenever possible we buy our meat from ethically reared and appropriately fed animals, and our vegetables as local/organic/spray-free as we can.

I'd rather pay a bit more knowing that the animal I'm eating had a reasonably happy life with a subsequent stress-free demise, and ate the food it was meant to (i.e. grass not grain-fed cows) and wasn't pumped full of antibiotics to keep it alive and kept in terrifying cramped conditions for all of its artificially accelerated sad sorry life, then transported hundreds of miles to be slaughtered in a totally inhumane fashion... all resulting in meat full of hormones, harmful omega3/6 ratios and flooded with fight-or-flight hormones. If you've not seen Food Inc yet I would highly recommend it, it was quite a revelation .

Re vegetables, I don't think we know enough about what genetically modifying crops will do to our state of health (I'd highly recommend reading Dr William Davis' Wheat Belly for an illuminating, thought-provoking and also somewhat disturbing insight into the grain we think of as wheat). We also don't know how much of a negative effect on our endocrine system ingesting powerful pesticides will have.

I understand that not everyone can afford to eat like we do, and not everything we buy is 100% organic - it's just not always practical and if you buy pre-packaged foods who knows where the ingredients originated? It gets even more complicated if you eat out!

But I do think it's worth spending more on the fundamentals: meat, veg, dairy (if you eat it) and fruit, just to ensure you have a decent base for optimal health. You don't necessarily need a Waitrose or M&S for that, you just need to be a bit more shop-savvy :-)

[Sue]

dds29 Wrote:

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

>

> And a bit of support for the Co-op; the goods

> are predominantly Fair Trade and comparatively

> priced with Sainsbury's.

> It's fine for top up shopping, and ethically right

> on!

xxxxxxxxx

Agreed. And the staff are helpful. You do have to check your receipt, but I doubt it's the shop itself which causes the price charged at the till to be different from the one on the shelf (strange it always seems to be higher). Would the prices be put in centrally, somehow?

[tarafitness]

The co-op's own-brand Truly Irresistible balsamic vinegar is better than any of the other supermarket's own brand top of the range versions and it's about half the price if not less :-)

I also agree on the fair traid stuff, the coffee is lovely as is the wine :-)

[goosey-goosey]

I wonder why this thread's been revived. Hopefully, it's because Waitrose is contemplating moving into the area.

[espowsong]

An added bonus will be that it might force many of those irritating little local shops and their surly shopkeepers out of business so WE won't be bothered by them anymore either.

[tarafitness]

espowsong Wrote:

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> An added bonus will be that it might force many of

> those irritating little local shops and their

> surly shopkeepers out of business so WE won't be

> bothered by them anymore either.

:-(

I wouldn't wish that on any local shop, especially in light of the London Riots that forced many small businesses in London to close.

If you don't like a shop, don't shop there, then you won't be bothered by it. Simple!

[Gala]

the people's supermarket sounds good.

[wolis]

Please, please No. The reason so many people like East Dulwich is its individuality - more chains will make it indistinguishable from every other high street in the country. We already have Cafe Nero and Foxtons blazing away, endless estate agents, a multitude of food shops competing for trade. I'm not a business owner but I agree with legalbeagle - we don't need any more supermarkets and anyway Waitrose and M&S are too expensive.

[tarafitness]

Would just like to point out that Waitrose isn't that expensive... it's possible to spend a lot there, but also a little, depends on which range you're shopping in :-)

[The Minkey]

Tarafitness: I guess by disposable income, I mean the bit left over after all the rest has been paid out that affords us the choice to buy better quality foodstuffs. Like you I prefer to buy organic etc where I can afford to do so, and I consider myself fortunate to have an income that allows me that luxury of choice. I didn't always have it, and given the current economic climate, well, who knows what the future holds..

[tarafitness]

Yeah, I know what you mean, pretty worrying times :-(

[grumpyoldman]

My butler is complaining about the standard of people he meets in teh Local shops, he has asked weather Fortnums would like to open in East Dulwich.

If not he wishes to tender his resignation.

What do I do next?

[peterstorm1985]

Fortnums home delivery service

[languagelounger]

Co-op have just hired someone to adapt their stores to local demographics. Maybe suggest they start with East Dulwich.

Though do wonder if it might be all those Fair Trade labels in the Co-op that are putting your pillage-and-loot City workers off their tea.