Small Shops v Supermarkets

[BradNaylor]

It was my turn to cook tea last night so I finished work early and took a stroll down the row of shops by my workshop in search of the ingredients for a warming winter casserole.

I got as far as the butchers and the bakers. Both were closed for the night - at half past four! I didn't bother walking on to the greengrocers and the off-license - I just got in the car and went to Sainsburys instead.

Small shops are always moaning on about the competition they face from the big supermarkets, and I would like to support them. However, they've got to put some effort in!

Shops like my butchers and bakers seem to be stuck in the 1960's, when housewives like my mum did the daily shopping in the morning and then spent the afternoon preparing the evening meal. Now, mum or dad more than likely picks something up on the way home from work.

So why close your shop in the middle of the afternoon?

I despair.

Sainsburys by the way, was packed - with people picking up something for tea on their way home from work!

Cheers
Dan

PS 'Tea' is what southerners call 'dinner'.

 

[Waka]

Our local shop stays open until 8pm, has fresh meat delivered 3 times a week from a local farm, as well as eggs etc. Most of the vegatables are grown locally and seasonally dependant.

I know a lot of people complain about the expence of using little local shops, but I find the produce better and at the end of the day you are not spending a great deal more. I'm happy to pay that to know that its fresh.

We do have a butcher about 3 miles away and now you've mentioned it, he closes about 4pm, I guess he feels he's done his trade for the day.

Just to correct you on the meal names, tea is served about 4:30pm and consists of tea and cakes, sometimes a sandwich, dinner on the other hand is served around 7:70pm, thats what us true southerners do :lol: :lol:

 

[BradNaylor]

Just to correct you on the meal names, tea is served about 4:30pm and consists of tea and cakes, sometimes a sandwich, dinner on the other hand is served around 7:70pm, thats what us true southerners do :lol: :lol:

So you have two teas?

Mmmmm.

:lol:

 

[wizer]

7:70pm? Is that ten past eight?

We have dinner at 6:30pm, you drink Tea.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

We have dinner at 6:30pm, you drink Tea.

(homer) Oh you are posh! but I like you :lol:

 

[newt]

It is strange how many folk refer to an evening meal (dinner) as tea, not quite sure how this has occurred. I suppose it does not really matter much it is only a name. But I do prefer lunch, tea and dinner in that order.

 

[Screw Loose]

So why are they called "Dinner ladies" at school then :?

 

[Paul Chapman]

So why are they called "Dinner ladies" at school then :?

No wonder kids grow up knowing nuffink :lol:

 

[StevieB]

A large part of the reason for Butchers, Bakers and greengrocers shutting early is that they have been up since the crack of dawn preparing the fresh food that you crave. Jointing meat takes time, as does baking bread and stacking apples. Not excusing them shutting at 4pm, but would you consider it fresh if it was yesterdays bread or joint of meat? If not, then said retailer will only prepare what he thinks he can sell that day - if he has already sold it all by 4pm then good luck to him! I am sure if he could make alot of money from the 4pm-7pm tea time shoppers he would stay open, I presume therefore the reason he shuts at 4 is because it is not economic to open for longer.

Steve.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

So why are they called "Dinner ladies" at school then :?

No wonder kids grow up knowing nuffink :lol:

Yep you can't learn um nuffin.

 

[Grinding One]

A large part of the reason for Butchers, Bakers and greengrocers shutting early is that they have been up since the crack of dawn preparing the fresh food that you crave. Jointing meat takes time, as does baking bread and stacking apples. Not excusing them shutting at 4pm, but would you consider it fresh if it was yesterdays bread or joint of meat? If not, then said retailer will only prepare what he thinks he can sell that day - if he has already sold it all by 4pm then good luck to him! I am sure if he could make alot of money from the 4pm-7pm tea time shoppers he would stay open, I presume therefore the reason he shuts at 4 is because it is not economic to open for longer.

Steve.

Nah ,He just wants to make it home for Tea like everyone else....Got to be there by 4:15 right?

 

[wizer]

A large part of the reason for Butchers, Bakers and greengrocers shutting early is that they have been up since the crack of dawn preparing the fresh food that you crave. Jointing meat takes time, as does baking bread and stacking apples. Not excusing them shutting at 4pm, but would you consider it fresh if it was yesterdays bread or joint of meat? If not, then said retailer will only prepare what he thinks he can sell that day - if he has already sold it all by 4pm then good luck to him! I am sure if he could make alot of money from the 4pm-7pm tea time shoppers he would stay open, I presume therefore the reason he shuts at 4 is because it is not economic to open for longer.

Steve.

Just before we found out we was going to be parents, I was quite far into the process of buying a butcher's shop. One of the key things I was going to change was the hours. He closed Sunday and Wednesday and Opened 9am-4pm he freely admitted it was because he wanted the time off. He had lost interest in the business. He got to work at 8am every day, buying most of his meat in either ready jointed or jointed it throughout the day while his wife served.

There is butcher shop in a local town which has gone against the down turn of butchers. He opens similar hours to supermarkets and makes a lot of 'ready' meals and prepared joints. All good quality ingredients. He's a very rich man. I was going to steal all of his ideas

 

[wizer]

So what's supper then?

I'm quite partial to Elvensies but then I often miss brekkies.

 

[newt]

Mind you I have never understood the logic of the 3 R's Reading, :twisted: ,and :twisted:

 

[Waka]

Pete

At your age you should know that one is Rifmatic :lol:

 

[Derek Willis.]

I too cannot unerstand why some people call a hot evening meal tea, I guess it has rubbed off from Coronation Street, not that I have ever seen it.
Derek.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Could be an economic thing. In the days when people didn't have much money and could only afford one main meal a day, if they had that at lunch time that, in effect, became their dinner. At dinner time, they could probably only afford something light (say a cup of tea and a sandwich) so that became tea.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Smudger]

It's simply historical. From Roman times to quite late (19th Century) the main meal of the day was eaten around mid-day. This made sense in earlier societies, as they tended to rise early and go to bed early. When school meals were started it was still dinner at lunchtime, and the name has stuck. Especially on the ladies (though nowadays they are officially known as Mid-day Meal Supervisors). In the evening there was supper, or for the middle classes tea, which would be when ladies visited each other and partook of tea and cakes and smally sandwiches. Breakfast was, pretty obviously, the meal with which one broke one's fast. My grandmother always called it break-fast.

 

[wizer]

I actually like that idea of eating the largest meal at lunchtime, that's when I am at my most hungry. But it's not feasible for those of us who work (snigger). It's the best thing about xmas day (did I just say something nice about xmas?). I may change my mind after this year as it's the first time I have had the 'privilege' of cooking lunch.

 

[BradNaylor]

I too cannot unerstand why some people call a hot evening meal tea, I guess it has rubbed off from Coronation Street, not that I have ever seen it.
Derek.

In the north of England most people call their evening meal 'tea'.

Us northerners find it very odd that some people might call it 'dinner'.

In fact, round my way anyone calling their evening meal 'dinner' would be thought very pretentious a la Hyacinth Bucket.:lol:

Cheers
Dan