12 replies to this topic

[Matthew (MPJ/Admin)]

With M&S opening in Amersham, what will be the impact on other shops? I think many believe it will be positive, more people in the town, more people to use all the shops. However, i think i remember a while ago there was talk about making the car park bigger behind the store. if they then put a rear entrance, how many of the M&S shoppers will bother with the rest of the town?

[Tallguy]

It's a Simply Food as I understand it, not a DIY store etc. It will create more competition for food retailers, be they Tesco or market traders.

[Eaton]

The car park is very small and they'd have to do a lot of work to make it viable, especially with regard to the lake in the middle of it each time it rains.

I wonder if they'll do the same as in Pinner. If you spend over £15 or £20 they ask if you're in the car park, if you say yes you get the cost of your parking refunded. Perhaps they will extend this to the large pay and display car park behind Iceland. However, I'm not sure how many people would want to push a trolley full of goodies that distance.

[roob_the_doob]

The car park is very small and they'd have to do a lot of work to make it viable, especially with regard to the lake in the middle of it each time it rains.

I wonder if they'll do the same as in Pinner. If you spend over £15 or £20 they ask if you're in the car park, if you say yes you get the cost of your parking refunded. Perhaps they will extend this to the large pay and display car park behind Iceland. However, I'm not sure how many people would want to push a trolley full of goodies that distance.

One possibility is a common thing they do in other places (e.g. Sheffield city centre) is to provide a pick-up service - your shopping is held by staff at the rear of the store, and you then drive into a pick-up bay to collect it.

[Fran]

With M&S opening in Amersham, what will be the impact on other shops?

Personally I've been disappointed by the M&S Foods I've occasionally been into in recent years. As the supermarkets have extended their premium, speciality and ethnic ranges, M&S has less of a pull. I don't think M&S has anything that I couldn't get at a proper supermarket that would also stock things such as loo paper, light bulbs, tooth paste, spices, flour etc.

However, for those that do like it, even if they park at the M&S car park, I imagine they might sometimes pop into other top Amersham shops whilst there.

I suppose the bigger unknown is what will happen to the Budgen shoppers? Those with transport will probably go mainly to Tesco, and as for those without...?

[Tallguy]

M&S White Stilton with Cranberries takes some beating. Sadly, my diet does not permit consumption of it at present.

[Fran]

M&S White Stilton with Cranberries takes some beating. Sadly, my diet does not permit consumption of it at present.

Well done for sticking with the diet - I hope you're feeling the benefits.

As for white stilton with cranberries, I'm sure I've seen that in Tesco and maybe Waitrose too.

[Tallguy]

Tesco certainly do their own brand White Stilton with Cranberries but it isn't a patch on the M&S stuff.

Diet is going well, am also doing regular exercise, weight is starting to shift, albeit it very slowly.

[Alan]

M & S will undoubtedly supply a market for some, in particular single people, or couples with income who enjoy the convenience and good luck the food is good, but limited. Last Christmas I know of one lad who looked at Amersham as a place his disabled sister might live, but she needed access to groceries, the demise of Budgens meant she didn't have access's, M & S and Iceland don't sell all the essentials. That spoils it for the less unfortunate, but maybe Tescos will set up a bus as they did for Sainsbury's customers, if so for some they are a life line.

[Fran]

Personally I've been disappointed by the M&S Foods I've occasionally been into in recent years.

I guess that's a minority view. They've just posted near-record profits which are a 28% increase on last year, partly accounted for by the increasing its food market share to 4.3% (which isn't much as a percentage, but when you're fighting behemoths such as Tesco and WalMart, is quite an achievement).

[James516]

Any idea when it is meant to open? I was sort of surprised that there isn't a sign up.

anlso, the closed-down card shop is going to be another coffee shop, so the lads doing the work inside told me on Saturday.

[struthie]

Any idea when it is meant to open? I was sort of surprised that there isn't a sign up.

anlso, the closed-down card shop is going to be another coffee shop, so the lads doing the work inside told me on Saturday.

Goodness how much coffee does one town need

[Eaton]

the closed-down card shop is going to be another coffee shop, so the lads doing the work inside told me on Saturday.

Oh damn another shop that I'll have to hold my breath when walking past!!! Might soon be easier to just not walk on that side of the road at all.