That quirky piece about the lady doing news deliveries from her home after the local store previously doing the rounds went out of business, has continued to spark interest.
Subhash Varambhia (Snutch Newsagents, Leicester) wrote: “I am somewhat bemused by the issue raised in the article titled ‘A Roundabout Supply System’ where an individual is obtaining news-paper supplies and delivering to the surrounding rural areas.
“This set up is nothing new. It has been operating since Adam and Eve, with good reasons, too. It reaches the parts a newsagent could not reach, or only reach with great difficulty.”
He adds that the operator of this system is called a roundsman (a pure newsagent without a shop or, in this case, a roundswoman).
“He gets his supplies directly from a wholesaler or from a newsagent (sub-retailing, also allowable).”
I asked Subhash whether one could make a living out of it and he replied: “Our local roundsman has news and mags supplied by Smiths News. His weekly bill is £1,500 give or take. So at 20% margin he makes £300, plus whatever his delivery charge is. Minimum going rate is £1 per customer.”
And he adds: “On dry days, he enjoys riding his bike on his rounds, otherwise he uses four wheels.”
As I look outside at the perfect autumn day I start to feel jealous then I remember the early start. And what follows autumn. Shudder.
