It’s hard not to take it personally when the store opposite starts offering a free newspaper and a cuppa if you spend a fiver. Many will have twigged that I’m referring to Waitrose.

Stuart Clark trades as News Box in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex. “Is there anything I can do about Waitrose?” he asks.

Nope, not really.

“It’s grossly unfair,” adds Stuart. “At Waitrose across the road you can get a free cup of coffee and choice of The Times, Daily Mail, Guardian or Telegraph. The only thing that keeps me going is the paper rounds: 250 houses and eight have stopped. Shop sales have gone down.”

I notice it has been a big topic on the web where it notes that Waitrose treats newspapers like Tesco treats Easter eggs. It’s a dangerous game, the view is, as it trains people to expect free newspapers. And leads to not-very-lovingly laid out displays: just dump bins/cages of cheap giveaways.