Shops

I phoned the newsagent shop that delivers my papers a few times over the weekend but kept getting this message: "The person you are calling is not available and you cannot leave a message." Pretty odd, since that's what the phone is supposed to be for, isn't it? Getting hold of people or leaving a message when they're not around. I wanted to pay my bill. In the list of things that really matter to people who run a small business, I would think customers phoning up and offering to pay money is up there at the top of the list.

So this afternoon I went in to pay my bill over the counter. The guy who took my money is not the owner. He was a bit taken aback when I mentioned the poor phone service but said they'd had problems recently.

I said I'd noticed the florist next door - who has been in Giffnock for 25 years - has posters up saying she's closing down. I've ordered flowers from her before and they were lovely. So what's happening? It seems the old boy who owned this row of shops has died and left the property to his grand daughter. She appears to be, excuse my French, a greedy cow. She started by telling the tenants there had to be improvements to the building but she wanted them to pay for them. Then she hoiked the rents up. The florist is already working to a tight profit margin and decided she couldn't manage the increased rent. So she's out. It's not likely she'll get another shop in the area - or not one she can afford to pay for.

I've seen many businesses come and go in this area over the years. Miss Noble had a wool shop in Giffnock 25 years ago where you could find just about anything in the crafts line. When she retired, her shop re-opened as a dental surgery and later as a dry cleaner's/mender's. We now have 3 fast food outlets in the same block, where we had none before. That makes a total of 23 restaurants/takeaways in a very limited area of Fenwick Road. Fine if you want a chicken tikka or a pizza. Not so good if you want buttons for the wean's coat.

I don't suppose any of this can be avoided. It's called progress. But I don't like it. Capitalism is meant to be about choice. I don't see any choice here.

Meanwhile, if you want nice flowers, phone Kabloom in Cardonald:
https://www.facebook.com/Kabloom-Florist-1397049067186714/

0141 237 6544