To see the sights of the butcher or shopkeeper leaning over the counter talking to his customers have all but disappeared and we are left with the all too familiar feeling of being just another face in the production line of all too frequent miserable staff not happy with their lot.
It's no use us harping on about the past all the time, however comforting a place it may well have been but the above pictures did take me back a few years when the all too familiar sight of the local shopkeeper and trades person was known too many in the local community and they in turn knew their customers and their unique needs as soon as some walked through the door.
Last week I happened to say to Mrs Oscar I fancied some Lambs liver and onions with some mash so whilst she was in Tesco and went to the butchery counter and asked the man with the straw hat for some, as he put one piece on the scale she asked for a different piece as that was some sort of off cut, he replied
" I don't know why people eat this in the first place"
Well sod you Mr Tesco!
That wouldn't happen in a private butchers would it?
trouble is they are a dieing breed and we must preserve the ones we have left by using them.
8 comments:
Large corporate businesses such as Tesco and Asda have all but obliterated the small shop keeper due to their buying power. Edwards of Conwy is an excellent butchers but incredibly pricey compared to the large supermarkets. Saying this without doubt you are paying for the quality. I find it suprising that there's no fish mongers in Conwy. as for the counter staff my hubby works on the chicken counter in Asda and often wonder whether they make him wear his "Happy to help you" badge for a giggle lol.
A fishmongers, a fantastic thing to have, especially in these days of the need to eat healthily.
The next best thing is to go to Builder St Llandudno, and pop in to Mermaid.
Yes, its primarily a wholesaler, but there is a great counter open to the public and it offers local produce, and seafood from around the world. Its great!
While living in the Bay when it went down hill rapidly in the late nineties I thought that the Bay would be the scumbag town and Llandudno would be the posh town in the future. I was wrong Llandudno is well on its way to becoming a hole like the Bay.
Could Conwy become the select shopping town where the wealthy shop? Far enough away from foul mouthed,scruffy gap toothed scum. Or is Britain in such rapid decline that Conwy will also suffer the same fate as Llandudno and the Bay
Try going to Humphries Butchers in Rhos.Quality Meat at great prices. Mike has grown his business by knowing all his customers and often shouts hello as you pass his shop even if you are not buying anything.
When he was opening his huge fridge once he let my daughters have a peep and see the carcasses hanging up. They were amazed and told all their friends about the pigs and cows they saw hanging up (it was at Christmas time so he alot in there)
I remember as a kid going into the cellars of Enoch Hughes' shop in Llandudno (Habit tea rooms now).
Down there they had 2 foot deep brick tanks with live lobsters in them. Conwy with its fishing heritage should be a seafood shopping and restaurant centre.
I agree with Captain Haddock, we need Rick Stein, to organize it, asap. If we dont go up market in Conwy quickly, there are plenty ready to drag us down !
Good variety of new shops opening in Conwy High Street, all busy getting ready for the half term holidays.
Why did she go to Tesco? We have really good local butchers who know their cuts, sell a much wider variety of meats and offal and will order specially for you if you so wish. I would never buy hyped up priced supermarket meats.
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