There are some really interesting points here – and first, you're absolutely correct to say that it's not the fault of staff themselves who are given only limited training by the supermarkets themselves.

I do think that one of the problems with supermarket fish selections is the very limited selection – and that goes all the way up to somewhere likes Waitrose, which is reckoned to a quality supermarket. In terms of what I see at our local fishmonger (a new business, set up by young people around three years ago) and what's available in the Waitrose I use occasionally or even the Sainsbury's I happened to be in latish last year (a big one in Islington) then there's little comparison. I wonder if that's a bit like butchers too, where choice is limited by a number of factors, including a lack of necessity of much in the way of butchery or fishmongering skills and knowledge, and also a desire on the part of the supermarkets to concentrate sales on 'prime' cuts'. Joanna Blythman goes into some detail on this in Shopped: The shocking power of Britain's supermarkets.

There's also the point I made earlier (if memory serves) that we apparently spend 10% less of household income on food in the UK than our counterparts on the Continent do – and yet we constantly complain that food is too expensive. I suspect that part of that is because the cost of housing and utilities are far higher here than on the Continent and take up a far greater percentage of household income.

Shortly after companies stop spending millions convincing them that it is.

We have an economy almost entirely dependent on excessive consumer spending, so be careful what you wish for.

Yet according to some here advertising has no effect and people only buy what they want.

As I said, I think that this is changing – in some areas at least – and is helped by new businesses realising that the old nine to five opening hours are no longer fit for purpose, for instance.



Talking to the people I have about why Broadway Market nearly died, they all say that the supermarkets were the problem – or at least the root of it. It wasn't a question of small businesses not having a business model that maintained customers, but one of the supermarkets reaching a size where economies of scale allowed them to simply undercut local shops substantially. As my own local butcher explained to me – and he's survived it all – the Tesco that had originally existed around the corner was never a problem; everyone existed alongside each other with no problem. The problems began with the creation of the big box stores.

Your other post about taking an hour to go to a really good butcher is pertinent though: in other words, your immediate shopping area doesn't give you such a choice. Now I don't know, but I assume your hour round trip to Lishman's would be via car? If that's the case, even more than if it were public transport, it suggests that there is an absence of choice in the immediate area around where you live.

^

This!!

The curse of Savile ...

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business ... -1-5322849

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business ... -1-5322849

For the sake of clarity the hotel is not in administration, a new holding company was created to secure a new refinancing deal now successfully completed. The old holding company was placed into administration and will be dispensed with.

"YORKSHIRE hotel business QHotels Group, owner of the historic Queens Hotel in Leeds, has been placed into administration as part of a refinancing deal.

The group, which owns 21 hotels across the UK including Aldwark Manor in North Yorkshire and Tankersley Manor near Barnsley, said the administration only involved its holding company and would have "no impact on staff, customers or suppliers and the QHotels business will continue as normal".

The three-year refinancing arrangement has been agreed with Irish Bank Resolution Corporation which QHotels Group, whose head office is in Morley, Leeds, said would allow it "to continue its successful programme of business development and investment".

The QHotels Group Limited, the original group holding company, has been placed into administration and replaced for all group companies by a new holding company, QHotels Holdings Limited with all other group companies unaffected."

Sorry just seen bramleyrhino's link, mine was from elsewhere.

they already have. and people will still buy these things, and there's no reason why people shouldn't. hopefully, they'll just finance them differently. with any luck the "pay nothing for 6 months. then £30 a month for 240 months @ apr phone numbers" will slowly disappear. people may actually save up for things.