Coop buys Somerfield!

bensonby · Post by **bensonby** » 22 Oct 2008 12:24

What we really need is a Booths....but I think that even less likely than a Waitrose

natbeuk · Post by **natbeuk** » 22 Oct 2008 12:40

bensonby wrote:What we really need is a Booths....but I think that even less likely than a Waitrose

Excuse my ignorance, but what's a Booths?

Greg Whitehead · Post by **Greg Whitehead** » 22 Oct 2008 12:41

bensonby wrote:What we really need is a Booths....but I think that even less likely than a Waitrose

That request is just cheesy Bensonby

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » 22 Oct 2008 13:02

Booths are a smallish chain of supermarkets/ grocers based in Lancashire (with some branches in neighbouring counties) that picks up awards on a fairly regular basis and is very well regarded.

I always thought that Somerfield's Sydenham site would be too small to interest Waitrose but they do seem to be moving into the convenience store market so you never know.

I know the Beckenham branch is nearby, but that is already close to their branches in Bromley and Bromley South however I don't know what their market research would say about this area.

Greg Whitehead · Post by **Greg Whitehead** » 22 Oct 2008 13:17

And they are particularly fine purveyors of local cheese. Hence my lame joke.

Sorry for offending any sensibilities with that one.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » 22 Oct 2008 22:00

I've just taken a look on the interweb to find the nearest Waitrose stores and stumbled across a Waitrose Forum post by Camberwell residents who are also asking for a Waitrose in their 'hood.

Did you know that there is not a single Waitrose with a SE postcode!?

natbeuk · Post by **natbeuk** » 23 Oct 2008 07:53

Gaz wrote: Did you know that there is not a single Waitrose with a SE postcode!?

Snobbery! Discrimination!

Greg Whitehead · Post by **Greg Whitehead** » 23 Oct 2008 08:54

natbeuk wrote:
Gaz wrote: Did you know that there is not a single Waitrose with a SE postcode!?
Snobbery! Discrimination!

Heh, heh. Given that they're plonked one in the godforsaken part of town known as the Holloway Road in Norf' Laaandddan I doubt that very much. Perhaps the Camden and Hackney gangs are partial to manchego with quince after a good violent mugging. Maybe the downwardly-mobile denizens of the Market Estate in Islington favour smashing a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape over their neighbours heads?

Bromley could give us one of their two especially as they're only 0.41 miles apart! Greedy lot.

natbeuk · Post by **natbeuk** » 23 Oct 2008 09:13

Ah yes, but despite being visibly shabby, the parts of London you mention are home to many a "celebrity" these days and for them shopping at Waitrose is positively downmarket...

Greg Whitehead · Post by **Greg Whitehead** » 23 Oct 2008 09:34

Home to many a z-lister you mean. I know Camden Market is quite popular as it's 'raw'. Isn't it just the greatest fun stepping over the hordes of crackheads strewn carelessly about the gutter on one's way to the bar?

This is real London guys! "Mind that needle Lottie" "No really my good man you don't need to hold the knive to my throat for me to give you some money, Father always held charity in high regard"...it beggars belief how rough and violent these places are but as you say - they're quite popular with young/trendy types. I cannot fathom why for the life of me. 5 London boroughs are in the '20 worst places in Britian to live' based on official key metrics (crime, education, employment, environment, lifestyle and health) and they're always the same ones and they're always in that area. Newham, Islington, Hackney, Haringey, and Barking are this years 'stellar' areas. Camden and Tower Hamlets have featured quite heavily down the years, as you may well imagine.

Not be outdone we had our own z-lister a few years back. One of the winners of that ghastly 'big brother' was often seen by mine eye shopping in the Sainsbury's. Her name was Kate, I think, I wonder what she's doing now? Panto season soon so doubtless she'll be headlining in Bognor or Skegness! Lovely girl, spent her 15 minutes of fame wisely.

paget76 · Post by **paget76** » 23 Oct 2008 15:42

Bromley could give us one of their two especially as they're only 0.41 miles apart! Greedy lot

Not quite sure where you get that from - the two Bromley stores are about 1 mile as the crow flies, 1.8 by road, or about an hour by car... Paws off!

Greg Whitehead · Post by **Greg Whitehead** » 23 Oct 2008 15:56

paget76 wrote:
Bromley could give us one of their two especially as they're only 0.41 miles apart! Greedy lot
Not quite sure where you get that from - the two Bromley stores are about 1 mile as the crow flies, 1.8 by road, or about an hour by car... Paws off!

I got it from the Waitrose site. Plumbing in SE26 gave me (discounting Beckenham) the Bromley south store as being 3.72 miles away and the Bromley store as being 3.31 miles away.

Come on paget76...give it up. You know you only need one store, let us poor suffering Middle-class Sydders types have our just desserts. You'll remember the barren searches for a decent Chablis or Sancerre on our 'High Street'. We've got The Dolphin, Organic Wellbeing shop and the new Blue Mountain cafe - we just need a Waitrose and we're truly the new Clapham!

(OK remove the 100 or so frankly vomit-inducing pound shops and nail-bars but we're getting there!) One day we'll rival Northcote Road.

Have a heart.

I say paws-off to you in return.

Sydenham Town Forum

The Community Voice for London SE26 since 2004

Coop buys Somerfield!