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Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Sat 10 Aug, 2019 07.57
by Pete
rdobbie wrote: Sat 10 Aug, 2019 06.05On a related note, my local Lidl recently had a minor refit (it only opened 4 years ago) and I was surprised to see a German shopfitting company doing the work, with several German-registered Transit vans in the car park. I wonder why Lidl found that cost-effective, compared to using British shopfitters? I'd have thought the cost of cross-channel transport for the vehicles, and accommodation for the workers, would be quite high.
The Starbucks inside the old Borders in Dundee had a sheet of plywood at the end of the bar instead of the round bit of wood where they put your finished drink. This was because said bit of wood had not arrived. From Seattle. Because a round bit of wood is beyond the wit of local shopfitting companies clearly. Suspect it was part of an elaborate tax dodge.

My local Lidl also had a mini refit, which must have happened overnight because I don't remember it closing at any point. It's not a purpose built branch, instead being a converted Kwik Save with an extension on the front. So no paved carpark, just tarmac, and no "Middle of Lidl" asile of shite, just food.

As well as general repaints they did some rather clever things to increase the space substantially without actually increasing the footprint.

First, they removed four belted checkouts and replaced the two closest to the wall with a bank of eight self scans (never seen these before in Lidl) and have added a new exit only door right after the self scan.

If you'll observe by beautiful rendering you shall see why this is clever...

Image

Not only have they gained the space from removing extra checkouts (blue) but because you now leave directly after them, they no longer need the exit walkway to return to the doors. In addition they've also changed from chest only freezers to the ones with cabinets on top.

It may seem small but it's an impressive amount of extra space in a reasonably small store, plus given its a student area with a higher number of customers but with small basket sizes self scan makes a lot of sense.

That said, because it's so efficient you're already out the door before you remember to scan your receipt to do the car park thing and then have to sneak back in.

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Mon 12 Aug, 2019 13.21
by WillPS
All bar one of the Lidls near me have self-scans now. The purpose built one is a very nice shop indeed.

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Mon 12 Aug, 2019 13.39
by bilky asko
At my local Lidl, they're Wincor Nixdorf models. They have a coin hopper on the front, but internally they still have a coin conveyor belt, so you can still chuck in lots of coinage without jamming the machine.

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Wed 21 Aug, 2019 17.06
by GMc
Morrisons are proposing to close four stores: Ince, Shirley, Swindon Regent Circus and Crawley.

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Thu 22 Aug, 2019 16.51
by thegeek
GMc wrote: Wed 21 Aug, 2019 17.06 Morrisons are proposing to close four stores: Ince, Shirley, Swindon Regent Circus and Crawley.
Shirley? You can't be serious!

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Fri 23 Aug, 2019 11.15
by Jonny
A Morrisons near me has been kitted out with all new self and staffed checkouts. The staffed checkouts come complete with a 1-2-3 "scan, pay, pack" instructional message at the start of the conveyor belt.

*I think* the idea is the bottom bay area is divided into two, so one person can pack their shop after paying, whilst the next person can be served and their shopping dispatched into the second area.

There seemed to be a few teething problems. Staff not yet confident with the new touchscreen till interface led to long queues, and I'm not sure everyone was buying into to the 1-2-3 step programme. Meanwhile, the new card only self-checkouts comically fire out receipts at awkward knee height, leading to a tidal wave of paper on the floor.

Room for improvement.

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Fri 23 Aug, 2019 14.52
by Martin Phillp
GMc wrote: Wed 21 Aug, 2019 17.06 Morrisons are proposing to close four stores: Ince, Shirley, Swindon Regent Circus and Crawley.
The Crawley store is only five years old and was purpose built.

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Sun 25 Aug, 2019 14.12
by Nick Harvey
Swindon Regent Circus is the same age.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-w ... e-49433107

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Fri 30 Aug, 2019 15.22
by WillPS
It's an indication of how quickly the game has changed from building/extending as quickly as possible (lest a competitor gets there first) to closing failing sites without fear of a full-sized competitor taking it.

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Sat 31 Aug, 2019 01.26
by Jacket
Jonny wrote: Fri 23 Aug, 2019 11.15 A Morrisons near me has been kitted out with all new self and staffed checkouts. The staffed checkouts come complete with a 1-2-3 "scan, pay, pack" instructional message at the start of the conveyor belt.

*I think* the idea is the bottom bay area is divided into two, so one person can pack their shop after paying, whilst the next person can be served and their shopping dispatched into the second area.

There seemed to be a few teething problems. Staff not yet confident with the new touchscreen till interface led to long queues, and I'm not sure everyone was buying into to the 1-2-3 step programme. Meanwhile, the new card only self-checkouts comically fire out receipts at awkward knee height, leading to a tidal wave of paper on the floor.

Room for improvement.
They've just installed the new checkouts at my local store too (and halved the number of staffed checkouts to make room for a Nutmeg clothing section).

They're... awful. My shopping was dispatched into the "second" section, on the other side to the card machine, so I couldn't pack as it was being scanned (and that's how it's designed, obviously). Which meant I just had to stand there watching the colleague scanning stuff, which was a waste of my time. And if I'd underestimated the number of bags I needed, I'd have had to queue all over again to buy another one. Also, of course, you're no longer asked if you want help packing.

I accept having my packing behaviour dictated to me by Lidl and Aldi because they're cheap and that's how it's always been. But I really, really resent it at a "traditional"supermarket. This, along with the terrible availability on produce and constant interminable waits for four slices of ham while a single colleague tries to serve on the deli, pie and hot chicken counters all day once, seems designed to push me in the direction of the equidistant Asda down the road.

Re: Yet another Morrisons thread

Posted: Sat 31 Aug, 2019 09.36
by all new Phil
To be honest, you’re the kind of shopper that most supermarkets want shut of as you’re a drain on resources.