My local Tesco's doesn't value cyclists

[Cab]

Tesco on Newmarket Road in Cambridge has a lot of bike locking space, but its not installed properly. Still, its not terrible.

Asda down on the Beehive centre is quite well provided too.

P1$$£$ me off that the supermarkets here provide better bike locking than sites like, say, Daily Bread (a big wholefoods place).

 

[marinyork]

Some thoughts about huge trolleyloads of BOGOFs offloaded into 4x4s - well, maybe there are a fair number of customers with just that shopping pattern, but it's not the majority. Maybe there are geographic variations, but in our local Tesco's, most of the customers are with a small half-depth trolley, like us (explains the shortage of these trolleys), and many are shopping from a list, again like us. These sort of customers appear to be the backbone of Tesco's customer base. Working from a list, one is less likely to snap up an impulse BOGOF (actually, literal BOGOFs are rare, more common is two-for-less-than-unit-price-x2). We do sometimes take two of an item on our list, having planned to buy only one, if on a special offer, but only if we have room and it's not too perishable.

Remember that BOGOFs are by definition a loss leader. Tesco's or anyone else will lose money on the customer who comes in and snaps up the BOGOFs and nothing else. So they really ought to be encouraging customers like us who shop to a pattern and have regular needs. And always know exactly how much is four panniers-worth (usually around £50-£60).

Any Tescos feedback researchers perusing this thread: take heed!

Tescos really are only interested in premium loyals. They are the minority but spend disproportionately far more money. The offers and stuff literally are targetted at this bizarre group. I wouldn't put it past them to have done research and found that premium loyals particularly dislike cyclists so want no cycle parking or it hidden miles out of the way from there child & parent 4x4 parking bay.

 

[Piemaster]

Having actually looked at all the BOGOFs / special offers at morrisons (and the stuffed trolleys in the national adverts) I concluded its pretty much all crap. Crisps, cakes, fizzy drinks etc. Not very much that you could regard as staples and could make a wholesome meal with, unless you were catering for a kids party possibly.

 

[summerdays]

And always know exactly how much is four panniers-worth (usually around £50-£60).

Any Tescos feedback researchers perusing this thread: take heed!

Are your panniers small? I have sometimes managed to get £40+ into one pannier (Ortlieb's with the top open if necessary).

 

[661-Pete]

Tescos really are only interested in premium loyals. They are the minority but spend disproportionately far more money.

I have no idea what a 'premium loyal' is, but if you have more knowledge of the inside workings of supermarkets, well and good. This seems to contradict my line of reasoning then. But I hope you're wrong about the target customer base 'disliking cyclists'...

Are your panniers small? I have sometimes managed to get £40+ into one pannier (Ortlieb's with the top open if necessary).

Well, if you will keep buying caviare, oysters and expensive champagne...:?:

On reflection, we usually have plenty of room to spare and I reckon an £80 trolley would probably fit. Toilet-rolls are usually the most awkward: I take a rucksack for those. And my wife's panniers are indeed rather on the small side: she bought a new set recently on mail-order and discovered when they came that they were a lot smaller than expected :?:. We manage fine, though.

 

[summerdays]

To be fair I don't tend to do the shop for the loo-rolls - Mr Summerday's does that in the car. I'm doing the inbetween big grocery shops, and I am always tempted by the end of aisle offers (though I don't buy caviare, oysters or champers - bottles of wine are nice), hence the bulging bag and big price. That is why Mr Summerdays does the main shoping - its cheaper if he does it.

 

[summerdays]

Well I've now heard back from the planning department - and I'm not impressed, here is part of the email:

In reference to the recent planning approval, it was not necessary to show details of the cycle stands or trolley bays on either the existing or proposed plans for the purposes of the proposed new lobby.

On the matter of security I note that the three cycle racks you refer to are in close proximity to a CCTV attached to the south-east elevation of the store. I note that Tesco have installed 3 cycle stands to the right of the ATMs so now the store is back to its full compliment of 6 stands.

I acknowledge and understand your concerns regarding the change in the position of the cycle stands. However I consider that Tesco have made adequate provision for the cyclists using the store.

This is a photo of the recently replaced stands - as you can see too close to the building. Not what I would call adequate.

I also noted that the new stands were unused - I really had to go looking for them, knowing that they had been installed. And of the 3 other bikes parked at the store other than mine on a damp Sunday afternoon 2 were on the stands and one did the same as me and used the empty trolley parking stands.

Can someone point me in the direction of a document stating how stands should be installed.

Also what is the situation with regard to taking cycle provision into account in a planning application.

I am currently preparing my reply.

 

[Arch]

Go into Tescos 10.30am on any one of the saturdays leading up to Christmas when it is really really busy. Make sure the store manager is in. Do your main shop, loads of stuff, tons of it, get to the point of paying, make some excuse like you've lost your wallet/it's been stolen, go looking for it, some how get the store manager involved, they will want to help and for you to find it asap as otherwise they will have lots and lots of angry customers at the check out who are being held up by you, you're not sure where it is so take him out to the bike racks where your bike is parked, in passing mention the totally inadequate crap siting of them and see if he agrees and is sympathetic to getting them moved away from the wall. Then miraculously your wallet turns up say in a secret pocket or from deep inside your panniers, you apologise profusely, pay whilst still apologising to all around you and quickly reminding the manager of the bike racks, off you go, mission accomplished . Nothing to lose ........

What a load of utter tosh. Apart from pissing off a lot of perfectly innocent people - customers and staff, and wasting summerday's time, why is the manager going to accompany anyone to the bike racks?

The cashier and the manager didn't design the store or the planning application, or the bike racks. They're probably having a pretty shoot time on a Saturday leading up to Christmas, and every customer held up behind Summerdays will take it out on the girl on the checkout.

Do you always leap straight to confrontation like this? No wonder you always seem to be on the recieving end of angry drivers, it's karma.

As for demanding a new fridge door, you want to learn to do cleaning properly... What a waste...

 

[sheddy]

Try locking your bike with a wheel up in the air so that it is on the window glass. You might need 2 locks to keep it there. If it works get 2 mates to do the same with their bikes.
Then send the photo with a witty caption to the Warrington Cycle Campaign. If they publish it send a letter with a link to the local rag.

 

[Arch]

Try locking your bike with a wheel up in the air so that it is on the window glass. You might need 2 locks to keep it there. If it works get 2 mates to do the same with their bikes.
Then send the photo with a witty caption to the Warrington Cycle Campaign. If they publish it send a letter with a link to the local rag.

Much better and more fun idea!

 

[snorri]

Your picture shows the standard Txxxo installation too close to the building.
I wrote to them, I phoned them, I went to their instore helpdesk, all with no result. A few months later they opened another store, same thing, stands too close to the building.
The stands are unusable so nobody uses them but still they installed more at my nearest store, again too close to the building.
Tesco unfortunately have enough time and money to argue the case with the local planning authorities until the cows come home, or the planners give up.
Txxxo just don't care.

Every Lidl helps.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

SD - this is what I would do even though I DON'T shop at Tescos on principle.

Go into Tescos 10.30am on any one of the saturdays leading up to Christmas when it is really really busy. Make sure the store manager is in. Do your main shop, loads of stuff, tons of it, get to the point of paying, make some excuse like you've lost your wallet/it's been stolen, go looking for it, some how get the store manager involved, they will want to help and for you to find it asap as otherwise they will have lots and lots of angry customers at the check out who are being held up by you, you're not sure where it is so take him out to the bike racks where your bike is parked, in passing mention the totally inadequate crap siting of them and see if he agrees and is sympathetic to getting them moved away from the wall. Then miraculously your wallet turns up say in a secret pocket or from deep inside your panniers, you apologise profusely, pay whilst still apologising to all around you and quickly reminding the manager of the bike racks, off you go, mission accomplished . Nothing to lose ........

This does, with respect, strike me as a bizarre idea. It's a very roundabout way to make a point - I can hardly imagine that the next time a customer loses their wallet at the checkout, the manager will say "oh, that reminds me, I must get those bike stands shifted". I think that all you'll achieve trying this one is to annoy absolutely everyone within a hundred yards. And, assuming the manager does accompany you to the bike stands, indelibly associating cyclists and aggravation for ever more.

 

[summerdays]

Try locking your bike with a wheel up in the air so that it is on the window glass. You might need 2 locks to keep it there. If it works get 2 mates to do the same with their bikes.
Then send the photo with a witty caption to the Warrington Cycle Campaign. If they publish it send a letter with a link to the local rag.

I do like this idea - especially if my wheels were particularly muddy!!! I must admit I was contemplating locking it up across all three stands - but I think that idea might be better.

Your picture shows the standard Txxxo installation too close to the building.
I wrote to them, I phoned them, I went to their instore helpdesk, all with no result. A few months later they opened another store, same thing, stands too close to the building.

Its my nearest large supermarket (with stands) and no hills to climb up once I have the shopping on board otherwise I wouldn't shop there.

 

[Cab]

It isn't like Tesco can't do it. Provision here is quite good. Its just baffling that they'd ever bother to install cycle facilities badly; whats the point in even bothering if you're going to do that?

 

[snorri]

Its just baffling that they'd ever bother to install cycle facilities badly; whats the point in even bothering if you're going to do that?

It IS baffling. It would appear the architect does not give sufficient guidance to the contractor installing the racks, or the contractor does not read his instructions. Either way this should come up in the snagging inspections before the client accepts the site from the contractor.
Just a general sloppiness.