Tuesday 4 August 2009

Tesco comes to Deptford

Deptford Se8ker has news of a new store set to open on Deptford High Street at the end of September.

I rarely use Tesco Express because the stores mostly sell ready meals, which I try to avoid where possible.

If this is the case in the Deptford branch, I'm not sure it will really compete with any other stores except Iceland. It may bring some competition for the fruit and veg stores and the butchers (like they need any more competition!) but from memory Tesco Express tends to concentrate on plastic bags full of ready-chopped carrots, broccoli and cauliflower which cost about ten times their unchopped equivalents.

On the plus side, we might have access to a better range of cheeses and wines than is currently available in Deptford, which would improve the Dame's life considerably, although there might be an associated risk to the waistline.

The Greenwich Phantom's review of the Tesco Express on Trafalgar Road is worth a read.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I was passing through in the Deptford high street today and when i saw the post advert that tesco is coming i was so happy becuase i live the other side of the street and everytime i need handy food like bread i have to walk down, well thanks Tesco, i'm loving it can't wait for it to open

Mark said...

I can't wait - finally a shop in Deptford High Street with basic sanitation and hygiene standards!

Deptford dame said...

heh heh Mark, I'll concede you've got a point! Although I think the worst offender is Iceland.

Rakajudha said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

You have all mentioned the good thing of tesco .....but the impect on local business who do exactly same products...like papers and magazines which sell at the same price anywhere.Think of the small family business who rely your support to buy papers and mags and thus keep them in trade.Another thing...tesco wants to plung in every product..but one which don't make profit and very much a requirement even more than a loaf of bread or a bag of chopped vegies......and that is charging Electric and Gas..which some traders do on the high street even if it pays pennies.This is called service. According to experience...similar businesses last only up to 2yrs after tesco comes to the area

Annaf said...

I agree with Anonymous. We don’t need Tesco: Deptford is an award winning high street, full of small independent shops and a brilliant market. With the arrival of multinational companies such as Tesco this vibrancy is under threat.

Instead of benefiting the local economy, money spent in supermarkets like Tesco gets sucked out of the local community and into the pockets of anonymous global shareholders. The New Economics Foundation found £10 spent in local independent shops results in £25 for the local economy, but only £14 if spent in a supermarket and in areas that they set up within a couple of years the small traders go bust.

Supermarkets control nearly 80% of the British grocery market. Thousands of farmers and workers are forced to leave the industry each year because of the low prices they receive from supermarkets.

Deptford dame said...

I too hope that despite the imminent arrival of Tesco Express, other shoppers, like me, will not only appreciate the benefits of putting their money into the local economy as Anna and Anon suggest, but also will value the personal service that they receive in the small businesses along the high street. Nothing that Tesco can offer will beat the banter you get at the Cod Father's, the pleasure of having a loaf of bread sliced to order in Percy Ingle's, and the opportunity to buy avocados or mangos in Roots & Fruits that are actually ripe!

The Flying V said...

I don’t understand why everyone is making out like Deptford High Street is completely devoid of chain stores already. Iceland has already been mentioned, but numerous betting chains have a very strong and fairly unpleasant presence in the area. Greggs is there, and I’m pretty sure some of the pawn stores are chains too.

I plan to continue shopping at the small shops where I can, particularly for fruit and veg, but there are some very basic things that you just can’t get on the High Street at present. I will certainly be stopping in at Tesco from time to time, unless anyone can tell me of any other shop on the High Street where I can buy real cream, not that mysterious long life fake white stuff that everyone from Iceland to Housewives insists on carrying.

Ps - I find out today that the new Tesco doesn’t actually stock cream, I will be a very unhappy V. I’ve been looking forward to the Tesco opening for months for that very reason.

Rakajudha said...

It has been nearly two weeks since Tesco opened....and already my sales of papers,mags,sweets and drinks have fallen by 20%. I yesterday (sunday) seen many of my previous customers walk in the Tesco and gave them the benifit...but I have been here for last 15 yrs and already loosing out. Saturday too was a wash out. I have been a newsagent all my life and think my days have come to close ......

Anonymous said...

I live at the Cost Cutter end, and I would rather walk to the new Tesco, than go to Cost Cutter. The Cost Cutter staff are surly as hell, and I have got board of it after a few years of living here. Tesco does bread that is not passed it's sell by date.

Still go to Lai Loi for veg.
And Tandori Express do awesome curries! much better than tesco's, for around the same price.

And aren't the Tesco staff locally employed?

Deptford dame said...

@Anon I can understand why you might not want to buy bread at Costcutter, but surely you aren't saying you walk right by Percy Ingle's to get to Tesco's bread?! Percy's bread is fresh every day...

Anonymous said...

Quite right, big oversight. Now get my bread from Percy's.

Deptford dame said...

Glad to be of service :-) Incidentally if you like crumpets, Percy's are definitely the best!