BOYCOTT LONDIS SYDENHAM !!!!

The place for serious discussion, announcements and breaking news about Sydenham
Wispy Wonder
Posts: 137
Joined: 11 Jan 2006 22:13
Location: Sydenham

Post by Wispy Wonder »

Leaf et al

The price of cheese is not the issue here - what I object to is the way Londis are cynically exploiting the reduced stock at Somerfield to line their own pockets. OK, it makes good business sense but it clearly illustrates what Londis thinks of it's own customers.

W Wonder
user100
Posts: 194
Joined: 13 Dec 2006 11:47
Location: Sydenham

Post by user100 »

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I am LOVING this thread!

PLEASE keep going folks

:-)
leaf
Posts: 590
Joined: 6 Jul 2006 16:17
Location: Not so far away.

Post by leaf »

Thing is wispy,we have a choice,a choice to buy or not to buy at londis,a choice to buy or not at somerfield.

No one is being forced into anything.

I think maybe the OP has an issue with the management of londis,like i said before it seems a bit personal?

The woman that runs londis is an independant retailer[franchise,but still] arent we meant to be supporting people like that?
Wispy Wonder
Posts: 137
Joined: 11 Jan 2006 22:13
Location: Sydenham

Post by Wispy Wonder »

I fully support our local traders, in fact, my weekly shop comes largely from the High St, (see my past posts). The point is, support works both ways and Londis clearly doesn't have their customers' best interests at heart. If they did, they wouldn't be raiding neighbouring shops for cheap stock, then marking it up and selling it on. Quite frankly, I think they're taking the P'.

As you say Leaf - I have a choice, and it's made - I will no longer shop at Londis.
Juwlz
Posts: 749
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 20:49
Location: Outer Sydenham

Post by Juwlz »

Wispy Wonder

I never said it wasn't a bad thing Londis were doing - just that its not THAT bad. All I said was to keep things in perspective the post should have been started in Town Cafe.
And if you read what I said - I said even taking into account the fact that some people are a lot poorer than me I don't think it affects anyone that much that their lives are really going to be affected by a temporary lack of half price cheese. I stand by that.

If this was really an effective way of buying stock surely all shops would be at it and constantly rushing in to buy up their competittors stock. If that happened then the supermarkets would simply restrict these offers to one or two per customer. Somerfield can do that if they want and I'm sure they would if they noticed it on a regular basis. I reckon its a one off. Do you think that Somerfield put their stuff on 2 for 1 because they really care about the people of Sydenham so much that they feel like being generous?
Sorry to be cynical but I very much doubt it.
Anyway - I have often noticed that the two for one offers in supermarkets are usually on over-priced, over processed, over packaged rubbish and not the healthy products, So in my opinion if some people end up buying less of them as a result then its no bad thing. I am no big fan of supermarkets. If you ever go to the giant sainsbury's down at Bell green it shocks me how you can buy 20 different flavours of washing up liquid and yet try to buy something mildly exotic in the food department like a pheasant and you're stuffed (pardon the pun).

Maybe you could get a little poll going on this one to see who really thinks its a subject worthy of the Town Hall. And if you don't like the result... hard cheese!
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Wispy Wonder
Posts: 137
Joined: 11 Jan 2006 22:13
Location: Sydenham

Post by Wispy Wonder »

On no - it's not worthy..........

Sorry - I didn't realise that the threads on this forum had to stick to specific criteria of worthiness. Look back at the beginning of it Leaf - I didn't even start it.

Naughty naughy PJSON - I hope you feel suitably ashamed of the inappropriate nature of this thread.

W. Wonder
leaf
Posts: 590
Joined: 6 Jul 2006 16:17
Location: Not so far away.

Post by leaf »

"Look back at the beginning of it Leaf - I didn't even start it."

Erm,i know that,i was responding to you because you addressed ME[and others] in your second to last post.

Cant believe people are getting so het up about this and the fact that not everyone feels so strongly about it?

Bigger things to go to war over.
wavevader
Posts: 1
Joined: 8 May 2007 12:06
Location: sydenham

Post by wavevader »

I'm lactose intollerant
Lillylocks
Posts: 13
Joined: 3 Jun 2007 17:59
Location: Bromley

Post by Lillylocks »

I'm sorry, I know this thread started out with such passion (and the sort of thing that would drive me nuts too - I mean, the CHEEK of it!) but I've just sat here reading all the threads and it's really made my day.
Thank you everyone for making me laugh :)
leenewham
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Joined: 2 Sep 2007 11:58
Location: SYDENHAM
Contact:

Post by leenewham »

If you don't like what a supermarket does or have a complaint, write to teh head office. They will respond and do actually worry about what people think aout them.

They are especially worried about bad press.

They spend a lot of money on advertising and will spend a lot of money to mend thing to counter bad press.
davegr
Posts: 148
Joined: 13 Nov 2006 18:11
Location: sydenham

Post by davegr »

I thought I'd never join in this weird thread but I noticed when I went in there to buy a paper that the crisps they were selling were the smaller packs you get when you buy one of those jumbo bags but they were priced as a normal bag.

Extraordinary.

It really looks like a shop that is about to close down. Half empty shelves. Not much for sale. I won't miss it.
Sydenham
Posts: 318
Joined: 2 Sep 2007 09:08
Location: Wells Park

Post by Sydenham »

Irrespective of what happens to Londis I hope the flower seller keeps on going. They brighten up the street and its always good to know you can buy some there.
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

Good post about the flower seller. I dont know who owns most of the empty shps along the high street, but if they are owned by Lewisham council, why don't they open them up at peppercorn short lets to a selection of pre-determined 'shops sydenham wants and needs' with the view that, if they are a success, they have an option to extend their lease at a pre determined rate. IN return they have to restore the shops and shop fronts via guidelines set down by the council, overseen by someone who is architecturally and design literate.
sophie
Posts: 350
Joined: 8 May 2005 16:50
Location: Sydenham

Post by sophie »

Surely all retailers try to pay the least for their products to maximise their profits? The difference in this case is that we don't usually see where the retailer is buying the produce from.

I've been in plenty of cafes and restaurants even and seen that they've used the cheapest of cheap own brand stuff (I'd hazard a guess that most people on here have as well) or seen someone walk in with bags from a local supermarket. Would this be wrong as well?
leaf
Posts: 590
Joined: 6 Jul 2006 16:17
Location: Not so far away.

Post by leaf »

Sydenham wrote:Irrespective of what happens to Londis I hope the flower seller keeps on going. They brighten up the street and its always good to know you can buy some there.
The flower seller IS the londis shop franchisee.
christian952
Posts: 12
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 14:34
Location: sydenham

Somerfield is Crap

Post by christian952 »

Somerfield supermarket is an embarrasment to retail.

1) When i first went to Somerfield, there was an "over enthusiastic" securiity guard who used to follow me around and make me feel rubbish just by being in there, snooping around every corner like I was some kind of known shop lifter (I have never stolen anything in my life)

2) Been over-charged in this store about 5 times.

3) The product range is appalling

4) Overpriced

5) On 2 occassions, have got home and discovered that items are out of date.

6) Staff hardly ever say "thank you" (What's all that about?)

7) Sometimes, the shelves are empty like they are short of money

8) Understaffed at times and have to queue for an eon!

9) Always have dodgy beggars or big issue vendors hanging around the door.

10) The "fresh" meat is completely unedible, tough and full of pumped water

IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THIS STORE WAS DEMOLISHED AND A PLAN TO MAKE ROOM FOR INDEPENDANT HIGH STREET STORES THAT ACTUALLY GIVE A DAMN!

BOYCOTT THIS RUBBISH STORE!!
mosy
Posts: 4111
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 20:28
Location: London

Post by mosy »

Well. I know perfectly well that when I buy a bottle of wine from my local off licence that they've been in a van and bought it for very much less from a cash 'n carry. However, they did that at their cost of petrol, van depreciation etc and they will take the hit if it isn't sold and also they have to pay someone to stand there and sell it to me, not to mention shop overheads.

Londis (if it's the one I'm thinking of next to the post office) is open 24/7. A very well kept shop. It would be boarded up and for sale very soon if they can't meet their costs and make a profit.

I thought Somerfield had been a bit cleaner lately, and fridges in a bit better order of repair, but it's difficult to escape that it's run on a shoestring in my opinion.

I agree about the veggies and bread in Somerfield - i.e. that it seems a bit daft store design to have heat-generating halogen lights over food better kept cool. That's "upper" magangement design rather than anything the staff can do about it though.
Sydenham
Posts: 318
Joined: 2 Sep 2007 09:08
Location: Wells Park

Post by Sydenham »

Did you know Londis originally was a contraction of 'London District Stores'?

Not everything on wikipedia is accurate or beyond contradiction but for those interested more information about the origins of this chain can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Londis

(forgot to ask - are references such as this allowed?)
MiniFox
Posts: 191
Joined: 8 Oct 2007 20:32
Location: Lawrie Park Road

Post by MiniFox »

leenewham wrote: IN return they have to restore the shops and shop fronts via guidelines set down by the council, overseen by someone who is architecturally and design literate.
I think I'd be happy if the shop fronts were overseen by someone even just literate? I mean, the Two Half's..? Surely, in the five years I've known it be open, surely it must have come to their attention that the plural of half is not half's... *shudders*

I just came back from a rare journey down the high street and was shocked at just what a state it is, how many are empty, etc. And those that are open never sell anything that I might want or need, supermarkets or otherwise
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

If we dislike what a store does then we should complain in writing.

2 for 1 offers/bogof are what are called 'loss leaders' where the supermarkets sell them at a loss to get people into stores. THE margins supermarkets make are normally very small. Whether they buy their goods from a cash and carry or from a central distribution warehouse they are still repackaging goods from somwhere else and selling them to you.

If other stores can take advantage of another I see no reason why they can't do this as long as they don't exceed the rrp. Anyone is free to take advantage of another stores offer.

I think the real issue here is the quality of the supermarkets in the area. I have read about Bell Green Sainsbury's, I have been in Somerfield and Londis and none really seem to be up to scratch. We deserve better and we should be letting them know! For Sainsurys & Somerfield there is no excuse except poor management. Somerfield isn't cheap either, despite perception. In recent tests it was almost the same price as Waitrose (source: the grocer magazine).

How about a petition to head office on Sainsbury's and Somerfield to tell them how we feel?
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