Putting the Screw in Screwfix

[Tim Lamb]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

My father stopped producing milk around 1980 so I am not fully informed:-) However, the market is not normal in that the supply side can't readily be turned off or withheld. There have been a few threats to pour milk down drains or spread it on fields but the leverage available to an individual producer is just about zero.

Once upon a time, the Milk Marketing Board regulated prices. Across the EU there remains a surplus in liquid milk (think Denmark) with each country trying to protect the livelihood of their farmers.

Basically, it is a buyers market!

>

[David.WE.Roberts]

Great review given that the fixings are press studs not buttons.

[charles]

Toolstation and Wickes are both owned by Travis Perkins. Perhasp eventaually Wikes will cease selling tools?

[Nightjar]

On 23/04/2013 00:43, ARW wrote: ...

Apparently not. My local stores are about 15 minutes apart, although I had to look them up online, never having actually visited either.

Colin Bignell

[Scion]

Tim Lamb put finger to keyboard:

Did you go on to solids then?

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Scion writes

:-)

The EU offered a *milk outgoers* scheme which paid dairy farmers to stop producing. Remember the so called *milk lakes*?

>

[Scion]

Tim Lamb put finger to keyboard:

Yes. And I read Farmer Palmer in Viz.

[The Natural Philosopher]

no. they were called dairy and wine lakes and butter mountains.

The time when we first realised te EU was basically stoopid.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Then that's what they need to do. It's not like milk can be stored for that long, and most won't accept any substitute for it.

What farmers obviously need is a union. ;-)

[Tim Lamb]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Or go back to local bottling and delivery.

I hate to admit it but milk quotas and the demise of the marketing board were Thatcher era decisions!

There was some talk of co-operative marketing but I think this got squashed as breaching the rules on competition.

>

[Bob Minchin]

I was stocking up ready for a plumbing job needing a fair bit of 22mm copper pipework fittings the other day. My generally favoured toolstation sell packs of 25 end feed fittings but S/F had them in 10s which is more suitable for my task. So although S/F are tending to favour trade size packs, T/S are at it too.

Another slight plus for S/F is their order online and collect service. You can pick this up within minutes as the stock comes from the branch. T/S however pick such collection orders from the central warehouse, mail to your chosen store and you have to wait for that to arrive - usually next day. Branch staff are not allowed to fulfil the order from stock on the shelf.

[The Other Mike]

A number are only a few paces apart

York, Barnsley, Doncaster, Stockton on Tees.

[Adrian]

Watford's on the same business park - but the TS is hidden round the back, whilst SF is right up at the entrance.

[Jethro_uk]

Really ? *Any* ruler who doesn't want their head on a spike knows that a fed population whinging about wasted food is much less likely to go all mob rule on them than a starving one. I suspect this is what the EU policy is really about.

Panem et circi IIRC.

[Bill Wright]

I bet the whole family was pleased.

Bill

[The Other Mike]

Forgot to add Harrogate, maybe 100m between the two but only a few paces for local resident Usain Bolt...

[polygonum]

Winchester they are almost facing each other. Slough round a couple of corners on the same "estate".

[The Other Mike]

Oh what a surprise. Dismantle something that has succesfully acted in the best interests of the country for generations and replace it with the void of the free market. (it was just post Thatcher BTW, but her vile disgusting odour pervades government to this day)

Breaching the rules on common sense more like :)

[Andrew May]

Ditto Cambridge, and a TLC has just opened across the road.

[ARW]

I was thinking in terms of Rotherhams set up - not literally next door but very close to each other:-)

I walk between Doncaster SF and TS to pick up what is available/at the best price between the two. The choice of where to park goes without saying

The link is of a very nice cafe/sandwich shop opposite TS for the benefit of Brian.