Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
We would all like to keep town centres alive and we would all like to see the centre of Dover alive and thriving. But if you shop in central Dover you pay top price for your goods.
Normally I go further afield to Tesco by car, this only after spending years food shopping in the centre of Town. I gave up in the end through costs and joined the hordes at Tesco.
Due to the iced up roads and conditions I returned to former habits and shopped immediately locally at M&S and The Co-op this week. Well we all know before we set out that M&S is expensve, but no complaints there, what you get is what you see...you get quality at M&S and you go in there to get same. You pay more and you get more.
However the Co-op is a different kettle of fish. I went in there yesterday and here was the till area at a quarter to 10 in the morning. Not a soul...not only is there no customers but not even a till is manned.
The prices are way toooo high. Example : 6 cans of Coca Cola £3.65, 6 cans of Dr Pepper £3.75...a staggering charge when you consider the six pack Coca Cola was on sale in Tesco last time I was there for £1.85. I acknowledge that was on a promo but still on a regular basis it is hugely cheaper.
I spoke to a staff member in the Co-op six months ago and she acknowledged that they cannot compete on price or on choice. They dont claim to be a supermarket said she, but a large shop. She has since left to get a job elsewhere feeling the writing was on the wall.
When you add car park charges to the mix it gets even worse. Other places are free...not in central Dover, so still very steep, despite the DDC freezing their assets from car-parking here.
Whatever needs to be done to keep central Dover alive, this end anyway, it isnt happening.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
That is why the out of town shopping wins Paul, the two supermarkets in Deal refund your parking money by the way. The Co op just does not seem to be what people want, there is talk in Deal that the Co op there is to be taken over by Morrisons.
Audere est facere.
Guest 711- Registered: 1 Mar 2011
- Posts: 194
Agree totally about the Coop Paul. Their prices aren't just a little bit higher they are way higher than elsewhere.
I can't imagine why anybody with a car would choose to shop there rather than Morrisons if they wish to stay in the town for their shopping.
We never go to Tescos now. We love Ocado for occasional deliveries (a lot of the Waitrose products are price-matched to Tescos) and they deliver in a one-hour time slot which is great.
We have also recently started using Aldi. Their vegetables in particular are amazing quality and cheap. It was certainly buzzing yesterday morning! Give it a try if you haven't already...
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
We use Aldi a lot. Fruit and veg excellent. Bookers in Folkestone for salads, soft drinks, bottled beer and bulk items, Cappers in Charlton Centre for most of our meat.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 711- Registered: 1 Mar 2011
- Posts: 194
Interesting to know your meat comes from Cappers, Peter. Will have to try it.
The steak in your steak sandwich is certainly good!
I like the free-range chickens in Aldi too.
When the Co Op took over from Summerfields the prices on some items went up phenominally 12 eggs went fron £1.10 to over £3 pounds . That is not a rise that could be absorbed by the avaerage family .
I know that the Co Op works to very high ethical standards re fair trade and organic products but it seems that these are no longer affordable , especially with the range of competition that now exists in the town
M&S used to refund car parking but I found out the other day that it no longer does so....
Morrisons, Aldi and Waitrose are far better value and quality than town centre shops. Sad but true. But the little farm shop on Cherry Tree hits the spot too.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
Cappers are the best butcher in the area wonderful meat and excellent friendly service and value for money and as for their homemade sausages never tasted better.
Free parking in the Morrisons and Asda carpark just round the corner for those that drive.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
If shops in town are seen as too dear, this has to be because shopping out of town is way too cheap!
There is more to this difference than mere scale and much will have to be done to right what has gone wrong. It may be that the statistics used to give us a notion of the cost of living rely too heavily on the cheap-as-chips pricing regimens of the big stores.
If High Streets are to be consigned to the past a whole way of life will be lost with many unwelcome ramifications to the way we have and might wish to continue creating and sustaining our communities. This whole 'Global is good' idea has to go. We must refocus and tend more to 'small is beautiful'.
Shed-loads of money is being sucked out of circulation and we all to eagerly accept this just to get our sugary-fizz fix for a few pence less.
It is for the population to decide how best to go forward and for politicians and businesses to accommodate us as best they can.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I'm not sure what the Co-op will be used for when it closes through lack of customers.
Obviously the local store manager has no sway with decision-making on very much at all there. They must realise that no customers equals no profits and no profits equals no business, hence closure - eventually and Dover cannot afford more closures, especially when they are not of our making, but the head offices.
I guess it is just a big convenience store, with the resultant high prices, but as someone said above, Morrisons is open the same hours and much much cheaper.
Roger
And always busy!
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
Roger I agree, you would think the Co-op would have learnt the lesson from their previous shop where Asda is now, that was usually very quiet.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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A member of staff told us that the aim at the Co-Op was to provide for drop-in shopping rather than someone wanting to do a big shop....
Doesn't really make sense does it? When they took over from Somerfield the
prices went up over night - I used to get bread mix at 65p which went up 20 p as soon as they took over.
However we find prices at Morrisons are competitive and also Aldi's.
Lots of people I know shop at Iceland tho we have not tried it.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
Had not been in the co-op for a very long time until last sunday, when PaulB and myself took a walk around there as the car was out of action because of the snowy weather, was shocked at the prices so it is only natural that people will shop where they can make their money go further, no wonder as the pictures show they have very little customers crossing the threshold
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
icelands do a home delivery but there produts are quite cheep compared to the coops.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Tis a pity food is not considered as much as that other staff-of-life...beer.
Beer too could be much much cheaper. If it didn't matter about the taste or the alcohol and it too could be delivered straight to your toilet.
You could just walk into a pub that had the odour of real beer fed into the air-con, throw the slop down you or all over the place and the bar-tender could pop round to your house in the morning and thump your head with a brick...job done?
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
have to agree with all the comments about the co-op, i don't know how they continue to survive.
they are mainly for people without cars but you do see people do a big shop then call a taxi to get home.
morrison's win hands down for me and the added benefit is that they are in town .
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
have to agreewith all the comments, yep aldi's morrison's far better
even see a better class of person lol barry w-s lol)
morrison's brings the people in
always packed,
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Agreed, I try to use Aldi when I can, great fresh vegetables, Morrisons are great local supermarket with some good deals.
I must admit to using the co-op when in town for the odd item, but they are pricing themselves out of the market, way to expensive
Nice to see you Keef, to see you, nice
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
sorry to hear about your reduced circumstances barry, hopefully the fleet of daimlers will be back on the road soon.
