StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:36:19 +0000, Roland Perry
wrote:

There's an M&S near me, about the same size as the one in The Circle,
and it's approx 25% "housewares and clothes", and the rest is food. Such
stores aren't new, there was one just like it at least 12 years ago in
Surbiton (near the A3, not the station).

As menfioned elsewhere in the thread, this is the one in Tolworth
Tower, overlooking the A3? I've been in it several times, though
quite a few years ago, and remember it being as you've described.
Interesting to see at http://www.hidden-london.com/tolworth.html that
when it opened - as a Fine Fare - in the 1960s it was the biggest
supermarket in Southern England. M & S took over the site sometime in
the second half of the 1980s.

Martin

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

In message , at 10:26:56 on
Mon, 24 Mar 2008, Martin Rich remarked:
There's an M&S near me, about the same size as the one in The Circle,
and it's approx 25% "housewares and clothes", and the rest is food. Such
stores aren't new, there was one just like it at least 12 years ago in
Surbiton (near the A3, not the station).

As menfioned elsewhere in the thread, this is the one in Tolworth
Tower, overlooking the A3?

Recently sold to the same people as own Centre Point.

I've been in it several times, though quite a few years ago, and
remember it being as you've described.

That's the one.

Interesting to see at http://www.hidden-london.com/tolworth.html that
when it opened - as a Fine Fare -

I wonder if that historical usage was why M&S carried on selling mainly
food?

in the 1960s it was the biggest supermarket in Southern England.

Not just biggest, must have been (that long ago) one of the first.

ASDA quote 1963 (Queens in Leeds) as their first, with what's my local
ASDA being their first superstore (80,000 sq ft) in 1965 which they
claim broke the mould of 10-20k sq ft high street supermarkets.
--
Roland Perry

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

In message , Roland Perry
writes

Not just biggest, must have been (that long ago) one of the first.
ASDA quote 1963 (Queens in Leeds) as their first,

Beaten by Tesco, who already had a chain of several hundred stores by
1963. Their first actual supermarket was 1956, although they were
operating self-service shops as early as 1947 (and more conventional
retail outlets since soon after the first world war).
--
Paul Terry

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

Beaten by Tesco, who already had a chain of several hundred stores by
1963. Their first actual supermarket was 1956, although they were
operating self-service shops as early as 1947 (and more conventional
retail outlets since soon after the first world war).

Am I right in thinking that the St Albans Tesco was their first self-service
store?

LEWIS

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

In message , at 16:16:41 on Mon, 24 Mar 2008, Lew
1 remarked:
Beaten by Tesco, who already had a chain of several hundred stores by
1963. Their first actual supermarket was 1956, although they were
operating self-service shops as early as 1947 (and more conventional
retail outlets since soon after the first world war).

Am I right in thinking that the St Albans Tesco was their first self-service
store?

In 1947 it is claimed. But as their first self-service supermarket was
apparently in Maldon in 1956 I'm struggling to understand what separates
a shop from a supermarket (given that in the 60's many so-called
supermarkets were very small with maybe only two tills, like a modern
convenience store).
--
Roland Perry

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

In message , Roland Perry
writes

In message , at 16:16:41 on Mon, 24 Mar 2008,
Lew 1 remarked:

Am I right in thinking that the St Albans Tesco was their first self-service
store?

In 1947 it is claimed. But as their first self-service supermarket was
apparently in Maldon in 1956 I'm struggling to understand what
separates a shop from a supermarket

At the risk of wandering even further OT, I think that the earliest
self-service stores were limited to pre-packaged dry goods - tins and
packets. The term supermarket was coined when a wider range of products
appeared (pre-packaged dairy products such as butter, milk and cheese,
pre-packaged bread and cakes, and a little frozen foods).

(given that in the 60's many so-called supermarkets were very small
with maybe only two tills, like a modern convenience store).

Most were certainly small by modern standards, but I can recall many
that were about the size of a modern "Tesco metro" - perhaps 4 or 5
tills (with the inevitable "Green Stamps" dispenser). Many were formed
by knocking together two or three adjacent shops.
--
Paul Terry

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

"Roland Perry" wrote

In 1947 it is claimed. But as their first self-service supermarket was
apparently in Maldon in 1956 I'm struggling to understand what separates
a shop from a supermarket (given that in the 60's many so-called
supermarkets were very small with maybe only two tills, like a modern
convenience store).

The story goes that one of the very early self-service shops had a problem.
By the entrance was a pile of baskets with a notice 'Please take a basket.'
It seems that customers did not appreciate that they were supposed to leave
it at the check-out, and not take it home.

Peter

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

At 22:17:37 on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 Tom Anderson opined:-

Is a one-legged pair of trousers just a trouser?

I've often wondered what a trouser is. This must be the answer.

Now what is a scissor?
--
Thoss

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On 25 Mar, 11:38, thoss wrote:
At 22:17:37 on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 Tom Anderson opined:-

Is a one-legged pair of trousers just a trouser?

I've often wondered what a trouser is. *This must be the answer.

Now what is a scissor?

A knife?

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On Mar 18, 1:42 pm, Sky Rider wrote:

The Circle area is now partially exposed - the ceiling and floor are
by and large complete, and some units (notably the Boots concept store
that car park and toilet users pass on the way) are being stocked

Some of the shops in the Circle are now open, including the M&S store.
There were a few people milling around there at ten past eight this
morning and I imagine that by the time Southeastern and LUL ticket
hall no.3 arrive in 2009/2010 the Circle should be quite busy.

Going slightly OT, why on earth are the interactive screens available
in English only?!

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 08:28:30PM +0100, tim (not at home) wrote:

but why would someone buy a posh shirt whilst waiting for a train?

For the same reason as they might buy a posh shirt at an airport. Or
indeed buy a posh shirt anywhere else. Because they're over-paid and
under-brained.

It makes sense to sell food, drinks, newspapers, books and magazines at
a station. It don't make sense to sell anything else, as can be seen by
the fairly fast turnover of shops trying to sell anything else.

--
David Cantrell | Enforcer, South London Linguistic Massive

While researching this email, I was forced to carry out some
investigative work which unfortunately involved a bucket of
puppies and a belt sander
-- after JoeB, in the Monastery

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On Tue, 1 Apr 2008, David Cantrell wrote:

On Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 08:28:30PM +0100, tim (not at home) wrote:

but why would someone buy a posh shirt whilst waiting for a train?

For the same reason as they might buy a posh shirt at an airport. Or
indeed buy a posh shirt anywhere else. Because they're over-paid and
under-brained.

I like posh shirts!

I'd agree with the comparison to airports (modulo duty-free
considerations), but not 'anywhere else'. Posh shirts are a perfectly
valid consumer good - it's just that transport hubs do seem an odd place
to sell them.

My theory is that they're a business staple (you have to have a posh shirt
to go to a meeting with other people who will be wearing posh shirts,
after all), and that the shops think they'll be able to sell them to
business travellers passing through the station or airport. What i don't
understand is why these travellers wouldn't have a shirt with them. That
would seem remiss. Do they kill time by buying some posh shirts for future
meetings? Do they realise they're a posh shirt short and buy one en route?
Do they save on laundry by treating shirts as disposable? Are the precise
requirements for the posh shirt not known until very soon before the
meeting, thus precluding advance packing?

It makes sense to sell food, drinks, newspapers, books and magazines at
a station. It don't make sense to sell anything else, as can be seen by
the fairly fast turnover of shops trying to sell anything else.

Tie Racks are a fixture at most stations. I even bought a tie at one once,
to go with my posh shirt.

tom

--
Ten years of radio astronomy have taught humanity more about the creation
and organization of the universe than thousands of years of religion
and philosophy. -- P. C. W. Davis

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

In message , Tom
Anderson writes

What i don't understand is why these travellers wouldn't have a shirt
with them.

Posh shirts only look posh if freshly laundered or new - they get
crumpled when packed.

--
Paul Terry

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On Tue, 1 Apr 2008, Paul Terry wrote:

In message , Tom Anderson
writes

What i don't understand is why these travellers wouldn't have a shirt with
them.

Posh shirts only look posh if freshly laundered or new - they get
crumpled when packed.

There's some truth in that. Are our business travellers wearing disposable
shirts rather than packing a travel iron, or seeking out their hotel's
laundry service? I suppose from time to time, it's quite possible.

tom

--
Ten years of radio astronomy have taught humanity more about the creation
and organization of the universe than thousands of years of religion
and philosophy. -- P. C. W. Davis

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On Apr 1, 3:21 pm, Tom Anderson wrote:
There's some truth in that. Are our business travellers wearing disposable
shirts rather than packing a travel iron, or seeking out their hotel's
laundry service? I suppose from time to time, it's quite possible.

There's also going to be a certain amount of OMG I forgot to pack
purchases.

--
abi

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:22:02 +0100, David Cantrell
wrote:

It makes sense to sell food, drinks, newspapers, books and magazines at
a station. It don't make sense to sell anything else, as can be seen by
the fairly fast turnover of shops trying to sell anything else.

It might also make sense to sell CDs and the kind of products Boots
and the likes sell. Also, with regard to food, it doesn't just need
to be sandwiches - basic provisions to take home are also useful,
hence the presence of the Sainsburys at Manc Picc and now the M&S at
Euston and MKC.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

StP retail fit-out - still a work in progress
 

On Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:22:02 +0100, David Cantrell
wrote:

On Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 08:28:30PM +0100, tim (not at home) wrote:

but why would someone buy a posh shirt whilst waiting for a train?

For the same reason as they might buy a posh shirt at an airport. Or
indeed buy a posh shirt anywhere else. Because they're over-paid and
under-brained.

Well, perhaps I was underbrained and overpaid, but a few years ago I got an
emergency call for a training gig in Wales. I packed quite quickly, went to
Paddington, and discovered that I had forgotten to pack my shirts. A quick
visit to the shirt shop, and I was OK.

I don't know whether that kind of custom can keep a shirt shop open, but there
you have it.

It makes sense to sell food, drinks, newspapers, books and magazines at
a station. It don't make sense to sell anything else, as can be seen by
the fairly fast turnover of shops trying to sell anything else.
--
Chris Hansen | chrishansenhome at btinternet dot com

Kevin: "I'm a atheist and I don't want a pervy priest saying any last rites
over me!"
Bob: "Cross-posting top-posters go straight to hell anyway ..."
from alt.obituaries