Metropol

One of the news segments on BBC Radio Five Live contained the same error with this story - I'm sure it's one that will persist.

Cache wrote: Wed 10 Dec, 2014 10.25

thegeek wrote:I should maybe add that this one is a Local, albeit apparently one that's over 3000 sq ft, because it's only open for 6 hours on a Sunday.

This is the new one in East Village, yes? It's very annoying that they've decided to make it just large enough to close at 5pm on Sundays.

It does have a very Morrisons-like "Build your own pizza" bar though, which looks good.

For anyone keeping track of this sort of thing, the just-too-big Sainsbury's Local in Stratford has moved to a unit across the road, and no longer falls foul of the Sunday Trading Act. I've not been in yet to see if the pizza counter has survived (though I doubt it).

thegeek wrote: Fri 30 Sep, 2022 15.01

Cache wrote: Wed 10 Dec, 2014 10.25

thegeek wrote:I should maybe add that this one is a Local, albeit apparently one that's over 3000 sq ft, because it's only open for 6 hours on a Sunday.

This is the new one in East Village, yes? It's very annoying that they've decided to make it just large enough to close at 5pm on Sundays.

It does have a very Morrisons-like "Build your own pizza" bar though, which looks good.

For anyone keeping track of this sort of thing, the just-too-big Sainsbury's Local in Stratford has moved to a unit across the road, and no longer falls foul of the Sunday Trading Act. I've not been in yet to see if the pizza counter has survived (though I doubt it).

No more pizza counter. Far smaller range of products. Terrible downgrade.

The Sunday Trading Act would be one of my first things to dispose of when I take over.

Meanwhile in Balham, Tesco have opened their biggest Express - only open for 6 hours on a Sunday. Presumably in the olden days it would have been a Metro.
https://www.timeout.com/london/news/the ... don-093022

thegeek wrote: Tue 04 Oct, 2022 15.36 Meanwhile in Balham, Tesco have opened their biggest Express - only open for 6 hours on a Sunday. Presumably in the olden days it would have been a Metro.
https://www.timeout.com/london/news/the ... don-093022

To my eyes it looks considerably smaller than the 2-floor branch on Birmingham New Street and the branch in the Viccy Centre (which was featured on the first ever lottery programme, fact fans).

Does this branding exist anywhere other than Liverpool?

Pete wrote: Sun 02 Oct, 2022 21.26 The Sunday Trading Act would be one of my first things to dispose of when I take over.

I'm still amazed there wasn't ever even a suggestion (that I can remember) of suspending it at least temporarily during the worst of Covid. Given the amount of queues outside of supermarkets, and the need for the high street to catch up on months worth of lost sales I would've thought there'd be quite a strong argument for suspending it for a few months but apparently not.

thegeek wrote: Tue 04 Oct, 2022 15.36 Meanwhile in Balham, Tesco have opened their biggest Express - only open for 6 hours on a Sunday. Presumably in the olden days it would have been a Metro.
https://www.timeout.com/london/news/the ... don-093022

Gosh, my old Lidl! I had no idea it had shut. It was a small branch, very surprised it's the biggest Tesco Express. I wonder if anything will be happening to the reasonably sized Tesco Express in the Esso a 3 minute walk away.

I'm surprised it isn't one of their ex-Metros which was the largest Express. The one in Goodge Street is certainly supermarket size.

I think the old Sainsbury's Central in Tottenham Court Road is a "Local" despite it being supermarket sized.

Pete wrote: Sun 02 Oct, 2022 21.26 The Sunday Trading Act would be one of my first things to dispose of when I take over.

How keen would retailers be to extend trading hours? It isn't likely, in the current climate, to result in a significant increase in sales so would just be redistributing sales from elsewhere in the day or the week so unless it can be cost neutral to stores e.g. spreading existing staff more thinly during the day it doesn't necessarily make financial sense to them.

m-in-m wrote: Thu 06 Oct, 2022 06.09

Pete wrote: Sun 02 Oct, 2022 21.26 The Sunday Trading Act would be one of my first things to dispose of when I take over.

How keen would retailers be to extend trading hours? It isn't likely, in the current climate, to result in a significant increase in sales so would just be redistributing sales from elsewhere in the day or the week so unless it can be cost neutral to stores e.g. spreading existing staff more thinly during the day it doesn't necessarily make financial sense to them.

*points to Scotland*

Many shops will still have shorter hours, but more like 9-5 vs 7-8 on a weekday. It's the arbitrariness of 6 hours that's the issue, hence English stores having to do the daft "opens at 9:30 for browsing" thing so you can hit the checkout bang on 10.

Remember when the Sunday Trading Act was suspended in 2012, "to help retailers generate tens of millions of pounds in increased profits during London 2012"? It was definitely nothing to do with not being able to open the Olympic Megastore during the Games. Honest.