Snow Mixed Blessing For Shops

Last week’s snow has had a varied effect on farm shops and delis.

While some report a reduction in weekend sales of up to 66%, others have enjoyed new customers – those unable to drive to the nearest Tesco or Sainsbury’s.

“Saturday is usually our busiest day but we only made a third of what we normally would. Barely anyone came in because the roads and pavements were so treacherous,” said Paul Lancaster, owner of Lancaster’s Deli in Colchester.

“We sell a lot of take-away food to local workers, but with so many people working from home over the past week we’ve been very quiet,” he said.

Indeed, UK businesses may have lost out on at least £1.2 billion because of lost productivity caused by the weather [FSB].

However, at the other end of the spectrum the snow has prompted a few success stories.

“We’ve had a few quieter periods but have noticed a lot of business from people who live near the deli but wouldn’t normally shop with us,” said Ailsa Goodall, owner of Palm’s Delicatessen in Oxford.

“The icy weather means everyone is keen to stay local, which is great for our store. Hopefully now we’ve attracted new customers they’ll keep coming back,” she added.

“The snow hit us hard just before Christmas, and I’ve been kept busy gritting the sloping driveway up to our farm shop and car park ever since,” said Steve Croot, owner of Croots Farm Shop in Duffield (picture inset).

“It’s been a constant battle to clear the snow and ice. With the bread van arriving at about 6am, I’ve had some very early starts to make sure that deliveries, staff and customers can get through,” he said.