Well, I’m always asking for feedback so serves me right when Subhash Vrambhia (Snutch Newsagents, Leicester) gets in touch, as he did regarding my May 10 column. He commented on practically everything! Here’s a summary.
On the One Stop moving in next door to the Londis in Wisbech, with apparently the sole intention to wipe out Lakhu Keswara’s business, Subhash recalls: “It has brought back fond memories of my stomping ground, Peterborough. That’s where Lakhu and mates played cricket nearly 25 years ago.”
He says his heart goes out to Lakhu and blames Thatcher’s free market and Eric (‘Mango’) Pickles’ planning relaxation. Ends on a bright note, though. He remembers Lakhu as resourceful and says he’ll “come up with something”.
We’re all with him on that.
On news wholesalers and their ‘wet’ policy, he says: “Smiths has half-heartedly tackled the problem. When it rains, and if they feel bothered, they cover tote boxes (empty/filled) with tarpaulin (apparently, somebody at Smiths fondly calls them condoms). It is all hit and miss.”
He suggests increasing standing orders of urgent/sensitive must-have titles to provide a safety margin of dry, spare copies.
And he recommends suing the wholesaler at the small claims court. “Courts will see it favourably if any loss can be demonstrated,” he says.
