The state of Woolworths (and Hot Cross Buns in December?!)

[lizziec]

Disclaimer: All pictures in this post taken with crappy phone camera. Apologies for the crappiness.

To begin - why on earth is Sainsbury's stocking Hot Cross Buns in December? Before Christmas even?! There are still four months till Easter and it makes my brain hurt to have shop products commemorating His death before we've even celebrated His birth yet.



Today I was in town and (finally) applied for a Cathedral Precincts Pass (we live within four miles of the Bell Harry Tower so we're entitled to one giving us free entry). Other Canterbury-ites who are interested can download the form here. You're eligible if you a) work in the old city of Canterbury, b) live within 4 miles of the Bell Harry tower, c) are a member of the Cathedral Congregation d) are a Cathedral Volunteer e) are on the electoral roll of a church in the diocese or f) are resident within the Precincts. It might be worth your while applying if you are eligible :) Free Stuff ++ . Also, Canterbury residents cards don't work for getting in for free at the Cathedral.

While I was in town I also made a visit to Woolworths for the first time since the closing down was announced and it was very sad :( There wasn't a lot left and none of it was really stuff I wanted to buy. I guess the latter is the reason why they're now defunct. They've even started selling off the fixtures and fittings. That really is quite gutting to see. Can't work out why it is, but it is.



Got home to the news that the list of final closures has been published (list here) and Canterbury is going in the first wave - on the 27th December. Can't help feeling how crappy it is for those (soon to be un)employed by Woolworths. Also of interest to me were that Croydon's is going on 30th December and Coulsdon's is closing on 2nd January. More gapes in the high streets :( It's really all rather sad.

More disturbing to me was that Woolworths has the below signs plastered everywhere. It was quiet (and almost cleared out) when I went, but what kind of chaos must have reigned for these to have to be put up? This is why I'm losing what little faith I had in humanity :(

Comments

[alisondh.livejournal.com]

Our Tesco's got hot cross buns in as well. Hot cross buns at Christmas just really don't go ...

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Glad it's not just me who feels like that.

[twigathy.livejournal.com]

elate and I visited woolies the weekend after the news they were going to go bust. It looked like there had been riots. Very sad. :-(

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

I know :( People sicken me sometimes. And Woolies was a part of my childhood. It seems so sad it will be no more in just a matter of weeks.

[myheartsonempty.livejournal.com]

that is soo sad!

p.s.
i have never had a hot cross bun.

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

:O Do they not sell them in America, or do you just not feel you would like them? :)

[(Anonymous)]

Our tescos now sell them all year - it's great \o/

We have a pack each week...

- dmc

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

Hehe. I just can't get into an Easter/Hot Cross Bun frame of mind until after Easter, much like I can't do Christmas until after my birthday :)

[pornqueenie.livejournal.com]

My Aunt has worked at the store in Chatham for 35 years and has been getting abuse from customers wanting more discount on already discounted items.

Makes me sick! Some people are such scumbags!

x

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

That's shocking. Human beings really make me dispair sometimes :'(

[mrs-redboots.livejournal.com]

Where, oh where, shall I go for things like toothmugs and bedside lights and nails for the Good Friday service and shoe-laces and other things for which Woolworth's was one's automatic first port of call? I'd have gone there more often if the queues hadn't always been out the door!

And our Tesco's sell hot cross buns all year, too - we, too have a pack most weeks!

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

I suppose Wilkinsons will do for those situations now for us, but I don't know how many places have Wilkinsons branches. The trouble with Woolworths is that the last few times I've been there to get something they haven't had what I've wanted, so after a while I just stopped trying there.

I think I'm glad to hear that Hot Cross Buns aren't just our Sainsbury's, but I just can't get into an Easter/Hot Cross Bun frame of mind until after Easter - much like I can't do Christmas until after my birthday :)

[mrs-redboots.livejournal.com]

We don't have a Wilkinsons locally, alas.... and we can't do Christmas until after Husband's birthday, either. Easter, of course, means Holy Week, which is the proper time to eat Hot Cross Buns, especially Good Friday.

Happy Christmas!

[manyfacesofjase.livejournal.com]

Shops will only sell things that people buy - therefore if they are selling hot cross buns now, its because people are buying them now. Businessmen don't care that the product relates to a specific time frame - if they think they can make money by selling it they will, whatever the time of year.

And to be fair, they are rather scrummy!

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

Businessmen don't care that the product relates to a specific time frame - if they think they can make money by selling it they will, whatever the time of year.

Good point :)

I suppose part of my problem is that I just can't get into an Easter/Hot Cross Bun frame of mind until after Easter - much like I can't do Christmas until after my birthday :)

Happy Christmas to you and Laura by the way :)