Shops - Downturn (OT)

[Bruce]

I think you will find it was Westminster City Council.

[dmc]

We use M&S for kids uniforms for school. Matalan and the supermarkets are crap quality (and not all that much cheaper) in comparison.

Top ten books I'd have thought is mainly the supermarkets area now - they certainly seem to always be pushing them.

We have an excellent chemists type shop just around the corner - a proper local chemists shop that also has a postoffice inside. It's really handy (so will no doubt be shut down real soon :-( ).

I have a joint membership with Amazon Prime - 25 quid gets me unlimited next day delivery on anything from amazon with no minimum order. It's paid for itself many times over just on savings on parking and petrol ignoring the fact that they are usually cheaper as well!

Darren

[Rod]

Until you have to take them back because their sizing is so wayward. (I know you can send them back but that is even more effort.)

[Rod]

Don't WHS distribute virtually all the newspapers and magazines in England and Wales? (Shades of Entertainment UK.) Or am I thoroughly out of date? But that would be one hell of a mess to sort out if they went bust.

And another nasty thought is that of insurers going belly up. It has been pretty bad for motorists in particular when that has happened in the past.

[dmc]

The thing I like most about John Lewis is not so much that their staff know what they are selling - more that their staff are willing to say "I don't know" when asked something that they don't know instead of trying to bullshit their way out of the question (something I think Comet staff must be specially trained to do!).

I much prefer a "I'm sorry, i don't know. Let me try to find out for you" honest answer over some idiot trying to read the shelf edge label over my shoulder and making it up.

Tesco seems to be very variable depending on what store it is (presumably, how much the manager gives a toss I guess).

The large Sainsburys here in Folkestone is amazingly poor. We've given up completely (likewise the new Asda).

Darren

[Rod]

Reason for wanting a helpful, non-GP related pharmacy? Partner is prescribed a non-approved medicine. Getting hold of it through a helpful independent pharmacy who also handle it for at least one other patient was hard enough work. Doing so through a GP-controlled pharmacy (where she would be the only person taking it) would likely not be the easiest thing in the world.

Partner is also prescribed levothyroxine - which is normally prescribed simply by that generic name. But many patients find that the changes from one manufacturer's 'brand' to another upsets them (and there are good pharmacological reasons that this might occur). So it is important to develop a relationship with a pharmacy who will pull their finger out to get hold of the same 'brand' each time. Some won't. At least as it is, we can choose any pharmacy and even go to an alternate one for a single prescription.

No - we wouldn't walk into Boots. Long queues. Slow service. Ignorant pharmacy staff (who seemed always to be locums when I did use them a few times).

[Tony Bryer]

For all the Dail Mail's belief in how much better life was in the olden days it is quite remarkable how expectations - and, in most cases, actuality - have changed since I was a child. Then they brought in a law that mail order firms had to deliver within 28 days because many didn't. Now next day delivery is the norm. And while we still used them, you could get films processed and printed within the hour, instead of waiting 1-2 weeks.

A touching reminder of the UK in the 1960s is still here in Australia - lay bys. If you see something in a shop that you want but can't afford it, you pay a deposit for them to hold it for you. So quaint.

[Tony Bryer]

One did in 1971 when I was working for the AA. We had queues round the block, stayed open to midnight, with overtime for everyone who wanted it.

[Bruce]

I'm not 100% sure of the details, but I think WHSmith and John Menzies both did wholesale distribution until a few years ago.

Then there was some kind of a deal whereby Menzies sold or transferred most of their retail outlets in England, some (but not all) to WHSmith, in return for WHSmith taking over the whole of the retain distribution business.

[Huge]

Oh, I do hope so.

[Huge]

One of the few "messages" from local councils I'm happy to go along with.

(Although Bedford's recently introduced recycling scheme's pretty painless, too.)

[Huge]

Ours has always had it. The doc prescribes something and by the time you get to the pharmacy window, it's all made up and waiting for you.

Form? I can renew repeat prescriptions by email.

Quite.

[Huge]

We went to Malta from Luton one year. The flight was about 07:30 in the morning, and the bar was doing a roaring trade. Sigh.

[Huge]

Standard British operating procedure.

[Frank Erskine]

Actually WHS is considerably cheaper for A5 printer paper than Rymans. I haven't checked out places like Staples (which I've never found particularly cheap).

I've just bought a new fountain pen from WHS too!

[Dave]

You are damned lucky, I don't think ours have even heard of email. We used to be able to ring them for repeat prescriptions, but they stopped us doing that. Now, I have to walk 1/2 mile to pop note through their letterbox if I want a repeat. Also, I used to be able to wait in the surgery for a prescription but since they put records on computer we now have to give 48 hours notice. If you want to actually see the doctor, you have to wait a minimum of 14 days as they are always booked up. I've tried getting another doctor nearby but every one of them say that their books are full. I can't wait for the doctor grading system to start.

Dave

[<me9]

Was that the one run by Emil Suvandra, who escaped to Cyprus with the loot? If so it still owes me £6.

[Frank Erskine]

At my last doctor's surgery there was a notice insisting on "48 working hours notice" for repeat prescriptions.

In true receptionist style, they didn't understand when I tried to explain to them that that would be over a week, so I changed my doctor.

At least the receptionists here _do_ have a life.

And smile occasionally :-)

[Bob Eager]

Indeed. And book an appointment several days in advance, online.

[F]

Or some p*llock who wants a Bloody Mary at 05:30 while the rest of us are waiting for bacon butties before boarding a flight at 06:00. And the staff made sure he got it made according to the recipe sheet which they had to go and find.

Luton Airport: avoid!