Miserable Courgettes

Since I have been living in this neck of the woods (literally) there have been two supermarkets in the nearby town, population one hundred and twenty.

One is small, corner shop size the other bigger - but not super size.

My loyalty was divided – I preferred the larger one on the hill and shopped there most of the time but supported the smaller one every Sunday – a bit like giving to the collection during Sunday service.

At the end of last year (read all about it here) the larger one closed its doors and the owner hung up his caddies.

And then there was one.

Except…..

NOW, there are three!

The population of 120 – as far as I can tell – has not changed.

The one on the hill has been rebranded and opened to a blare of fanfares and with three or four times the content in the same floor surface.

They beat, by about a week, the grand opening of another, three times bigger in the valley alongside the river.

The little one, meanwhile, has new staff and they seem to be sulking.

What to do?

Where lies my loyalty now?

Maintaining my Sunday support for the smallest will not be a problem, I just wish they would stop sulking.

I don’t want miserable courgettes.

But what of the other two?

I checked them out…

On the hill the positive points are that they have employed the former staff, extended opening times by a whole hour, given me a loyalty card and, and, ok then I’m struggling. They don’t any longer sell my favourite museli, beer, wine or toilet paper and they have introduced an “English “ section, though why they should think I have moved to France and miss HP sauce is a mystery. And you have to put money into the caddies now – as if anyone round here is stupid enough to want to take one home.

Nobody had in the last twenty years when they were free.

In the valley they have my favourite beer, museli and wine but not my favourite toilet paper. They gave me a loyalty card AND a free shopping bag and their “English” section has milk chocolate McVites digestives whereas the hill only has the dark chocolate variety.

Not that that will sway me.

The fact that they sell petrol might.

Because I really don’t like the guy who runs the local garage.

It’s nothing personal.

I just don’t like him.

Personally that is.

I have a feeling the situation is in flux.

Something is going to give…..

to be continued when it does