I popped out to the next village just now for the paper and a scotch egg. And I thought about how lucky I was to be able to use a country village post office, not only a mile or so down the road, but also still open. I won't say where it is exactly, in case a grey suited administrator looks it up on his grey list and thinks 'Ooh, missed that one. Get the padlocks out'. Much has been said about the demise of the post office recently, and I won't add my usual acerbic comments about how I feel. But here, just behind the ironstone church, is where I can get milk in real glass bottles with foil caps (albeit often from a dairy in Tewkesbury for some strange reason), local bread, homemade pies, the odd vegetable, samosas, chocolate cake, bottles of wine, newspapers; and still buy stamps, get Special Deliveries sent and chat up the post mistress. And buy scotch eggs.
Halifax, West Yorkshire
1 day ago
4 comments:
In another life, I worked with several village stores in small, very rural locations. And you are so right - at their best, such a joy and boon to the community at large. Trouble is that too many are bought by retiring middle Civil servants on I-L pensions who don't understand the smile, let alone the service it should accompany!
I like the look of this one, but all buyers of such stores should, in future, be psychometrically tested.
Now then - I'm all in favour of village shops, and if they happen to run a PO, then so much the better. Do they keep any bottled beers of note ? I remember a local viilage shop where the proprietor used to remove the "1d" and, later, "3p OFF" stickers from the end of Andrex twin-packs and charge the full price on the grounds that the offer was intended for his benefit as the service provider. Mind you also used to supply single Woodbines, no doubt charged as "Groceries" on somebody's account.
Bring Back Martha Woodford ! By the way i was very shocked to hear Phil & Jill have returned from their travels - it's only a matter of time. Mind yoy the up side is that I haven't a " I want my Maoaomy" from Rory either.
Talking of Phil and Jill, how long before Matt Crawford does something beastly and rural with his new P.A.?
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