Tag Archives: Sainsbury’s

Jul 16 2010

I hate Sainsbury’s….

Last night I had a comment left on my blog by Paul Johnson – you can see it here.

Fancy a Starbucks love? Well not here ...

It seems that Sainsbury’s have decided to put their own Cafe into my ‘local’ store INSTEAD OF STARBUCKS. As far as I am concerned this is Sacrilege.

Have you been in their cafes? They are awful. Like upmarket transport cafes.

I was worried earlier in the year when Starbucks tricked me into thinking they were closing – It was an April fool, not a funny one. This isn’t funny either.

I was suspicious earlier this year when Starbucks were rolling out their free wi-fi for ‘cardholding’ customers. Apparently we couldn’t have this at Castle Marina because wi-fi interferes with the tills? Oh please!

It seems to me that we need a call to action here.

Is shall be objecting to their application – which you can find here. Feel free to object too!

The statement about Starbucks is buried in the ‘statement of community involvement document’. As Paul spotted the statement was

“Sainsbury’s has balanced the need to improve the store and offer cooked food in its own restaurant against feedback in
support of the Starbucks concession. The proposed Sainsbury’s restaurant will offer a wider choice of hot and cold drinks and food.
The number of requests to retain Starbucks were even with comments in support of introducing a Sainsbury’s restaurant.”

So the number of requests to retain were the same as a request for a Sainsbury’s own cafe but they have decided that this even vote is a vote against Starbucks?

I shall be writing to the Managing Director Justin King. You can email him too if you like – his email address is justin.king@sainsbury.co.uk. I am sure he would love to hear from us fans of Starbucks.

And then it is time I stopped buying my lunch there! I shall encourage all of my staff to similarly boycott the store and go to Boots at Riverside instead.

I shall also stop buying petrol there. This alone will hit store takings – two weeks ago I went there four days in a row…

I then need to find a new store for Starbucks… This is a priority.

This news has ruined my week! I now hate Sainsbury’s.

UPDATE 21 JULY 2010

I have heard from Darcy – MD of Satrbucks (via Twitter) that things may not be quite as bad as we hoped.

Jul 10 2010

Convenience Stores – competition always good?

There is a rumour that locally we are to get a new Sainsbury’s Conenience store. This may be only a rumour, but an application has been made to the local Council for a ‘convenience store’ for Bramcote Lane, Nottingham. This is my local shopping centre and a source of bacon sandwiches and cappuccino at the weekend (I try to have a day off Starbucks).

Site for new store Bramcote Lane Nottingham

I am not entirely convinced about this inexorable machine taking over the High Street, let alone the suburban area. We already have two ‘local’ convenience stores. Perhaps NIMBYism but true.

Put in context Bramcote Lane has an eclectic mix of shops – Dry Cleaner, Health Food Store, Cheesecake Shop, Newsagents, Hairdressers, Estate Agents, Opticians, Dentist, Gift shop, Butchers, Fruit & Veg shop, Discount Goods, Hardware store, Eurospar and Off-Licences. As at the weekend two of the shops are vacant – and have been for some time. The area is just about in balance.

Close by, there is another Convenience store (Co-op) and a hairdressers.

The Developers are responding to demand from the major retailers (it’s not just Sainsbury’s with requirements!). They have seen an opportunity and are exploiting it. In my professional life I see (and do) this all the time!

But I am concerned that a new store will put at risk the local retailers who simply can’t compete on price – I would imagine that the Butchers, Fruit & Veg store, Pricewise and off-licence will be at risk. The area doesn’t need four more vacant shops!

The Planning Application has been lodged here. There is no certainty that the scheme will get consent. But the reasons in the application justifying it have some credibility too.

Some anti-supermarket groups have been set up previously – you can read about one here.

Alternatively, if consent is given, you have another choice…

You can vote with your feet. You don’t have to shop there. You can support local shops.