You want to keep eye contact at the point of sale, or at least keep facing forward, which of course you won’t be able to do if you are rummaging around in a shuttered gantry looking for identity parade-style plain cigarette packs. This can take minutes and who has minutes these days?

Ronald Potter (Potter’s News, Blackpool) has had to sign for responsibility for his Imperial Tobacco gantry. Imperial says it can provide contacts for companies which will add shutters for £800-£900.

He was therefore very interested in Gaelle Walker’s news story (C-Store, April 11) reporting Booker’s trial with Expotutto’s overhead gantry Servertab. The first unit, installed in Premier retailers Steve and Val Archer’s store, is hailed as a great success.

Booker told me: “We commenced a trial of how independents can respond to the display ban in London in April. The first phase is to focus on the big brands such as Marlboro and 8% POR brands such as Carlton and Rothmans. Initial results are encouraging. We will then be trialling display solutions in the summer so we can support our customers from January 2015 so they are ready for the display ban next April.”

The word is that Expotutto is tying up deals with various groups, which will take time. And for Ronald, this won’t be quick enough. I put him in touch with the company’s sales office and he hopes to have one installed by June. The expected cost is from £1,500 + VAT for an individual customer and he is happy with that, and even happier that he won’t be turning his back on customers.