Supermarkets in Shetland - prices, ethics and experiences

[BounceBounce]

Yeh i no it is the same owner for the Turkish Kebab shops, just my feable attempt at sarcasm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[shetlander]

Trying to keep on topic - I wonder what would happen If Tesco are barred from selling these additional items, and were to rent an empty property on the street like the former Crystal Cave and sell them from there?

 

Being in a town centre location, the council would certainly have little grounds to restrict the amount of non food sales if the exact same Tesco was (for example) on the site of the old swimming pool. I suspect the LTCA would still be voicing their concerns just as they are now, albeit that they would have no planning grounds for doing so.

 

I do sympathise with the retailers on the street in terms of the buying power that Tesco has and I can understand why they are concerned. But I agree that times change and that they need to adapt to that, upping their customer service and concentrating on providing the kind of service and specialist goods that the big boys will never be able to. Yes folk shop south or buy off the internet for a better deal and variety on mass produced stuff but they also want to spend their money on good quality toys, clothes, books, food, homewares, furniture and the like that you can't get in any Asda or Argos or Tesco in any town. In my opinion, keeping hold of what it now has, attracting new retailers in those areas and attracting uses that help give the street some life at night time will give it the best chance of survival.

 

Time will tell but I'm not convinced that Tesco selling a limited quantity of non-food items is going to hurt the street any more than online shopping or more frequent shopping trips south already have - and if it succeeds in taking back some of that spend rather than spend in town centre shops then all the better. However unlikely it is to happen, be careful at wishing for a shiny new shopping centre to appear on the outskirts of the town to replace the street though. It might not be what it once was and it might not be perfect but the street and the focus it provides is one of the things that sets Lerwick out from so many towns nowadays. Just take a look at the state of the town centre in Paisley and say that the big new shopping centres at Braehead or Silverburn have been good for it or that it (with a much bigger catchment than Lerwick) has found it easy to find a completely new niche for itself.

[Para Handy]

Been inside the new bit of Tescos today apart from the T-shirts, underwear and bit more space for razor blades and tins of smelly stuff. I was wondering what all the fuss was about.

 

Mind you not all the new shelves were stocked up yet

[Frances144]

Yup, just been to the new bit at Tesco's.

 

The lighting is too much. The roof is too low for that type of lighting. I felt I had to get out of there pronto. I was bombarded and it was all too much.

 

I think I will stick with the Co-Op from now on.

[Guest Raven007]

(** mod edit - threads merged **)

 

Hi

 

What do you think of Tesco's extension ?, Personally i had a quick look today and was very impressed with what i saw and im looking forward to when its completely finished ,however i would like to see a good quality fish counter and also some diy stuff , but on a whole i think its good for Shetland and nice to see we are moving with the times , and i cant really see it having much of an impact on the town centre, i look forward to your comments and thoughts

[SKM]

Brilliant, was in town today and had a look around Tesco and was plesently surprised. Lots of choice, polite staff and even a manager doing his bit!As for fish counter, Blydoit fish have an exelent shop both in town and at Blydoit in Scalloway.

[Frances144]

The lighting, the lighting, the lighting..... it is too much. Almost gave me a shopping-panic attack and I felt the world was closing in with the words BUY ME, BUY ME, BUY ME!

 

I paid for me stuff and ran. Next the Co-Op. At least with their shelving arrangement and product placement, you are guaranteed never to find anything.

[Para Handy]

 

This needs to be merged

 

 

http://www.shetlink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10104&highlight=

[Frances144]

Sorry, now I look like a ranting nutter!

[Ghostrider]

^^ If its any consolation, all "supermarket/store" layouts have the same effect on me.

 

I loathe shopping, and the bigger, brighter and more in your face it gets, the deeper the dislike and hatred intensifies.

[Spinner72]

^^ That may explain our differences on this subject to a fair degree. I'm no fan of shopping either, but what winds me up is having to go to multiple places to get the bits and pieces you need. Therefore one massive shed with everything in would suit me down to a tee, and it sounds like tesco's the nearest to that we have so far.

[Skunnered]

The lighting, the lighting, the lighting..... it is too much.

Have you tried sunspecs? You might be able to buy a cheap pair at Tesco!

[Para Handy]

Sorry, now I look like a ranting nutter!

 

Not quite Frances144. It depends on the type of light you mean.

Or are you including day light.

In your wee rant. above.

I do understand why some think all that light it’s over kill.

But! I would like enough light, to read what’s on the labels of the goods one has picked up.

Some of the places south I have been in it's all supposed to look warm and cosy. And you cant see where to put your feet.

And some like me? who’s eye sight is not what it was 10 years ago need all the help they can get

[Frances144]

For me it is the daylight from the roof lights plus the strip lighting lower down that made it all a bit too much for me.

[paulb]

strip lighting can effect folks. it flickers and if that match up with you system you can get problems.