Problem is online shopping causes the problems.It's an expensive luxury for the vast majority. It also adds to pollution and street congestion where not one but several rival delivery services can block side streets.Not one of these delivery services use electric or hybrid vehicles, they are all diesel. And they will, like in the CC zone add on any pollution charge. That will be in place by the time this is built.How a three times a day bus is of any use is bonkers? You will be gone for hours and if the return bus is full up with shoppers and shopping , then what?There are many areas they don't deliver to and they are all too often, poorer parts of districts.And then the problem of getting foodstuffs that are right on the use by date. or endless unwanted substitute items, which is why we stopped using it. We were throwing out too much that would not last a few days.But apart from the monthly big shop, we walk to Morrisons.But could we afford M&S or Waitrose? Well, there was a time when we could but with all the other cost hikes that's now a once in a blue moon treat.I like Lidl, but the quality of food varies immensely and a lot of it's products are far from healthy or balanced. It's really not a proper supermarket of the standard and range we have become dependent on.They don't do fresh meat or fish, only pre frozen packaged, they only sell limited own brand and copy products some of which are good and some ghastly. A lot of Lidl products contain additives and substitutes. Often well hidden on the small print but at least in the small print.Even cheese and basics are very limited in range and quality. No gluten free, no ethnic ranges, no low fat and healthy option ranges, very limited fruit and veg although what they do do in this area is good.Both are incomparable to a Morrisons or Sainsburys or Tesco for range and quality.As an example Simply M&S milk is 43% per litre dearer than Morrisons milk.It seems to me to be a bit of a social divide Rich Shop, Poor Shop and that is a real retrograde step in Brentford where it has a wide demographic but is one of the very few places in London that I can think of where the balance works.Morrison is the key example, All types of Brentfords make up shop there.It's a kick in the teeth for Brentford people, Rich or Poor and starts a social divide which I would have thought would have appalled any Labour Councillor wherever they are.
Raymond Havelock ● 3048d