Your local small shops- use them or lose them.

Mon 9 Apr 2018, 15:09

That's a great idea, Mike. Let's all hope it works. Avoidance of glut is always a problem, but I kept the best of the apples from Christine's apple days on the Playing Close last year, and we've only just finished them. So maybe finding suitable storage would help. I'm no expert in what keeps and for how long, but there will be people and websites that do!

Mon 9 Apr 2018, 07:41

PS

At the Deli, we DO have a reasonable selection of fresh veg.

Not perfect - but no-one's EVER said our "tomatoes and mushrooms were all rotten". Out of stock: sometimes.

But as one of the more forthright members of the team emailed me towards the end of this year's Seville Orange season:

"Mike: I'd have to say that one of the joys of living in the first world is that generally, the shops do dispose of food not fit for consumption. I think the line 'we won't sell oranges fit only for use as cricket balls' would be a rather empty boast.

IMHO, of course."

Mon 9 Apr 2018, 06:51

At the Deli, Lynne and the team have got a couple of other issues to concern theselves with today.

But among our plans this year is to provide an outlet for allotment holders. Everyone knows the complications: we might not welcome apples in September, for example, and we'll try to organise a sensible system before the gluts happen

Anyone interested: have a word with one of us, or email us on news@charlburydeli.cafe.

And no: we don't pay business rates. Anyone thinking of starting up a shop: drop us a note (again: news@charlburydeli.cafe) and one of us will explain.

If we can remember how it works.

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 23:03

In that case, Jim, they can say it's from their garden...

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 22:38

Allotment holders are not allowed to sell their produce though.

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 21:25

A weekly allotment holders' and gardeners' produce stall, say in the museum garden (a much underused space), shouldn't be too hard to arrange. A bring and buy for fruit and veg!

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 21:22

Here's a (fairly) local shop that offers good service. Adams of Enstone do free delivery on pet food. See https://www.adamsofenstone.co.uk and on Facebook.

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 20:02

Village green? Eh?

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 19:02

A greengrocer in Charlbury would be excellent - maybe for starters a pop-up summer stall as an outlet for allotment holders and other fruit/veg gardeners. Maybe weekly on the village green?

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 18:59

It depends what the rateable value of their property was. Business rate relief is available to small businesses in small towns/villages. Witney probably doesn't qualify. I'm told the florists business rate increased by 40%. Presumably the vintage dress shop had the same problem. I had understood there was transitional relief. I didn't see the programme - perhaps that explained it?

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 14:18

I don't know what the criteria were, but I do know that when I had the bookshop in Market Street I was exempt from business rates for years. I've never seen another business tell the public that it pays no rates. But I assume that many don't. Or perhaps something has changed in the last 3 or 4 years?

I would say, though, that a shop cannot expect to be supported just because it is local. The goods and the service have to be up to scratch and reflect local needs. This might seem obvious, but I remember coming to work in Charlbury nearly 20 years ago and being very impressed to find a greengrocer here. I went to see what I could buy, and found that the tomatoes and mushrooms were all rotten. Needless to say, that was the only time I went to that shop. The old Coop was better than that.

The greengrocer has of course since closed.

By the way, Jean, the café in question in Witney serves vegetarian and vegan meals, as well as gluten-free dishes. Few if any other Witney eateries cater seriously for the veggie market, and personally I have more use for a decent veggie lunch than a vintage dress! (Not that I've eaten in the café, so this isn't a recommendation!)

Sun 8 Apr 2018, 12:11

Is that because of the business rate review? I know the florists were in the local news a couple of months ago talking about the rate review doubling their business rate. Business rate are collected by central Government who redistribute an amount to the Councils nationally according to perceived 'need'. Hopefully, the small shop keepers are applying to their local Councillors for business rate support to keep Witney a varied and interesting shopping destination.

Fri 6 Apr 2018, 15:21

In Witney, as other towns in the UK, shops are suffering and in decline from Supermarkets et al.
Please watch South Today TV at 6.30pm to see an interview that the BBC made with Jim at ROSA Florists in Witney. The treasured Vintage clothes shop opposite has already closed and will be taken over by the Cafe next door.Are there not already enough cafes in Witney?