General Chat

Hi all, have only popped in here for a moment just to check on the status of things generally. Clearly, a huge groundswell is cheerfully forming. Enthusiasm for these important quests in life is vital, and here it can be seen in an exemplary form. During the next shift I'll report back in. Look after each other, at this stage that is also vital. Mike

Ok, I get the picture. We don't have anything that big in Oz but some of the Woolworths and K-Mart stores are Wanna Be's. I remember going to a complex like that in Canada 30 years ago and we walked blocks and blocks just to get one carton of milk!!! Vonny

Dont know how big supermarkets are in Oz - but my sons Tescos (one of the largest in Europe apparently) has kids on skates who roller skate up to checkout when someone has a broken bag of sugar or whatever and roller skate off to get a replacement for them. I cant understand how they get away with that in Health and Safety rules? They also have English, Chinese and Indian takeaway counters in the shop. It HUGE.

We have Tescos in all sizes - from the small 'essentials' type ones to huge enormous ones like the new one in Coventry. I've only been to the new one once. I lost the will to live after an hour and we still hadn't got to the chiller and freezer cabinets. I insisted that we left and I haven't been back Gwynne

Ok, today I have been tip-toeing through the tulips so please humour me. How big is Tesco? What is the equivalent size store in Oz? Anyone know? Do you accept International members? Vonny

Can I be in charge of foot-tapping and watch-looking-at when the customer in front is a personal friend of the check out person and they are discussing the on-going and absorbing story of the break-up of the relationship of a mutuaL friend? Gwynne

Zoe (love it!) However, you havent taken into account the sharp intake of breath (SIB) effect nor the slow out take of sighing at the check out (SOS) when the lady in front cant find her purse or remember her credit card pin number. Id also like a sub-sub-sub committe on BPWS - banning people wearing shell suits please. (Never a problem in Waitrose)

I'd like to propose an Committee for Eyebrow Raising (or ER) As on one single visit to Tesco there can arise many situations where one would normally need to rasie an eyebrow the cumulative upward draft caused by this unseen fluctuation in the facial muscles may cause damage to the buildings fabrication (imagine if everyone felt the need to eyebrow raise at the same time in one store) Short of banning the eyebrow raising culprits (children demanding sweets and mothers repeatedly sayng 'NO!', people who eat their crisps on the way round the store, harrassed mother who has ended up coming out in her slippers, etc etc) I propose that paperwork be drawn up to limit instore ER to a maximum of twenty people at any one time. This obviuosly could be counterracted and alleviated somewhat if anyone else is willing to set up a Tutting committe as teh downdraft from a Tut may possibly work in co-ordination with the ER updraft. Zoe

Dee, Could you also organise those pre-teens, who sneak into Tesco by following a couple of adults a few feet behind, then once inside play chasey in aisles? We could do with a few more of them. Anne

A query please. As I am on the Tesco internet sub-sub committee I am not aware if the real shops have those little trollies for kids to push around with flags hanging off them like our local Waitrose. If they do, could there also be a sub committee for chaining said mini-trollies to the parents' main trollies to stop berserk kids ramming them into shoppers' legs please. Perhaps that could be part of Dee's remit? And could Dee please deal also with all the new young proud parents who walk around with baby carriers swinging them into people.

Good morning Mike Could you please advise me what you wish me to take charge of? I am multi skilled, but have a special interest in the under 5's, you know the ones, they cause mayhem in most stores, screaming and running riot Dee ;-))

Mike, My interest is those huge trolleys used by Tesco staff, to dither while picking up items (Don't know why). I'm sure that with a slight increase in size and in the dozens in use every day, and a bit more thought of where they are to be placed, we could bring Tesco to a total stop. Can I organise, please, please? Anne

Mike, I shall order clamps forthwith. I think it may be a good idea to order some chains as well. We could use them to chain 'wandering men' to the trolleys that they leave abandoned in the middle of nowhere while they wander off in search of something they forget about after five seconds. This would ensure that the trolleys would follow them if they wander too far in search of whatever it was. Gwynne

Will there be a sub-sub committee for Internet friends of Tesco please? I order my dads groceries via internet every week and occasionally my own but I have indeed pushed a trolly (in cumulative terms) possibly to Australia and back. Do we get extra credits for having one baby in said trolley and one toddler hanging on to skirt? (Although this is some years ago, it surely counts as practical training towards NVQs in committee membership of sub-sub committees?)

Gwynne, clearly you've observed a phenomenon (spelling ?????) that has fascinated people watchers for years. Now is the time to act !! A hastily convened overnight meeting (actually I was the only 'Friend' to turn up) has recommended that idle chatterers in the middle of aisles be clamped. They are to be released only after they have forfeited their Tesco coupons ( or been reclaimed by their husbands). Whoops!! who said that??? That might not work, I suppose. Mike

Can I be on the committee for organising people to stand in the middle of the aisles idly chattering? And on the subject of post offices......... Our nearest town used to have one but they closed it as uneconomic. They opened one up in the Co-op store but it wasn't making enough money for the Co-op so they closed it. Cue HUGE fuss. The PO said they would find another venue which they did after 2 years but it had to be 'economic' so they closed the 2 sub post offices in walking distance of where I live. Harrumph. Gwynne

Davo, I can imagine that situation (lol). Sometimes it's a bit like trying to interpret public announcements on railway stations. Mike

Rosemary, in so many cases the closure of the local Post Office is a bad step. In my small village the Post Office/village shop holds the community together, should it ever close it would change the whole character of the place in a very negative way. Can sympathise with you. Mike

Multi Skillers? When I first heard 'All multi skillers to checkouts.' I thought they were saying 'All mule skinners to checkouts.' It was only after I asked why they needed mule skinners, that I found out that I had mis-heard. D

Sorry but I am no friend of Tesco. They are converting our local One Stop into a Tesco Express but refusing to allow space for the existing Post Office. They promised to keep the P.O. open until a new venue was found but reneged on the agreement and closed the P.O. on Friday. It now means going into town for a Post Office or up onto an estate some distance away and not on any direct bus route. So from now on I will be shopping at one of the other Supermarkets. My action may not do much to hinder them, but then, 'Every Little Helps'. Rosemary(Essex)