The weather forecast for today is cloudy in the morning with rain in the afternoon, not ideal weekend conditions, especially as it’s the last day of Tigger’s holiday. Either way, the shopping must needs be done, so off we go!

Grey skies over Baron Street

Despite the greyness, it’s fairly warm (17°C) though with a gusty cool breeze.

The Farmers’ Market

The Farmers‘ Market was taking but there were fewer customers than usual both here and in the main market. Perhaps the dull weather was having an inhibiting effect.

Business is slow

In the main market, business was slow and the cafe had no takers for its outside tables. Perhaps trade will pick up later.

Sainsbury’s – fairly busy

In contrast, Sainsbury’s was fairly busy. Does that mean that people had come here instead of the market? I doubt it as I suspect that those who shop at the supermarket and those who prefer the market form two distinct groups. I could of course be wrong about that.

The mobile snack bar

The mobile snack bar is usually here on Sundays. It intrigues me as there are usually plenty of customers, even on a slow day like today. Yet one thing that Chapel Market has in abundance is cafes and take-away food shops. What determines that some people prefer the snack bar? Easy access, perhaps, or maybe it charges less than the sedentary businesses?

More people but not much trade

By the time I sped through Chapel Market in search of coffee, there were more people but there was a desultory atmosphere. People seemed to be walking through the market rather than stopping to make purchases.

Mercer’s for coffee

Mercer’s is now serving people sitting inside and at tables outside, making them less dependant on sporadic customers like us. This is good in the sense that it helps them survive so that they are there when we need them. As far as my preferences go, however, my favourite coffee place is still Myddelton’s deli in Amwell Street where they are unfailingly cheerful and courteous and treat us as valued customers.

That, of course, is where the small shops score over the impersonal attitude of the supermarkets. Some of us remember when such small shops where the norm and “supermarkets” were yet to be invented. The relationship between the local shop and its customers could, of course, be fragile. I remember my mother making me wait outside our local bakery with the shopping bag. This was because she had bought a loaf in another shop and wanted to avoid the repercussions that would result from the baker seeing that she had shopped for “his” products elsewhere!

Shops like Myddelton’s deli are rare these days and exist only where they manage to create a niche for themselves. In the deli’s case, they can supply meals to local offices and conference centres. This enables them to stock a range of fine foods for which there is a demand in the surrounding affluent neighbourhood. Their success is the result of hard work, long hours, knowing the needs of their customers and providing efficient service. The courtesy that they display is an added attraction in a world where this too is becoming rare.