General Discussion
Thorntons
Yes I saw that as well, made a mental note to advertise the fact via this website then promptly forgot!
The other thing is, is that people are wanted to work there. See the advert in, I think it's "Presents" shop window.
Not so good for the sweet shop owner that has been serving the Dawlish public for the past years. You know the one with a genuine personal interest in the Town and it's people, especially the children. The person who will go out of her way to introduce people to each other so that they can build new friendships and support networks.
Good for the multinational branded business that has placed itself in many town centres.
Chocolate is good for you so eat more and because you can only stomach a certain amount of it, eat more expensive chocolate because that will make you a lovelly attractive and confident person.
What we really need is more standardised national companies in Dawlish so that it can look the same as all those other thousands of towns in the UK, that will be brilliant. We could also do with a clearer and louder message to stop being so small.
Wise up guys
I bet Thorntons wouldn't have their stock consficated by the police if a couple of selfish boymen smashed their way into their shop to steal from them, as was the case with our existing sweet shop.
I hear what you say, in fact something similar went through my mind when I saw that Thornton's were coming to Dawlish. But then I thought to myself (and you may well disagree with my conclusion however) that Thornton's, and the sweet shop to which you refer, whilst selling the same type of thing - chocolate - won't be selling the same type of chocolates though will they?
I mean, it isn't as though we don't have other shops in Dawlish that sell chocolate and sweets because we do and quite a few are on The Strand or nearby. So by your logic those other shops should be having a negative impact on the shop that sells sweets only. Do they?
I think that Thorntons has a usp for chocolates of one kind (and thus will attract customers who like and can afford that kind of chocolate) whilst the locally owned and run sweet shop on The Strand has a different usp and thus attracts and will continue to attract customers for sweets and chocolate of another kind.
Yes we have an obesity problem in this country. Should chocolate and sweets be banned then?
PS Why did the police confiscate your stock?
It wasn't my stock, the police took it for evidence, kept it for about 3 months and the retailer was unable to afford to replace it.
Re logic I would not advocate banning chocolate I really enjoy it. I advocate education, information and self control. The indoctrination by the media ie TV, Newspapers, magazines and radio is financed by large organisations such as Thorntons. They lever a far higher degree of influence than we realise. They penetrate our lives and minds to such an extent that we feel that a challenge to them and their products is a threat to our independence and liberty and we must defend and support them.
Markets are run on supply and demand even if the demand is artificially generated through propaganda, sorry advertising. More purveyors of sweety things the less profit for the sellers. Large organisations can sustain long periods of low profit even loss making. Independent retailers can't.
Take a look at the empty properties in the immediate area.
Yes Thorntons chocolate does have its own taste and it will get business but there is only so much disposable income available for chochy treats. My point is do we want to encourage Dawlish to be a taken over by national companies who's only motivation is profiteering or should we encourage a self generating and sustainable local economy operated and accessible to local people. That would mean supporting people to produce at home and in small affordable units and provide them with low cost access to council controlled areas such as the town centre.
I am all for the local community and economy supporting itself.
Would the chocolate and sweets to be found in the locally owned sweet shop sited on The Strand be made locally or by nationals?
All for locals rather than nationals but might there be a marketing argument that to have a small but national outlet chain store in the town (M&S Simply Food for example?) might be a way of getting people to go into the town in the first place?
Not saying that would happen just saying that I have heard that argument made.
The town has definitely gone down hill since the demise of Woolworth's. As Lynne quite rightly said, it drew people into the centre of town and once there, they visited the smaller shops as well. The occasional vandalism that we get doesn't help. Policing should be tightened up, especially at night. I'm afraid there really is no substitute for the bobby on the beat!
Ok, it's competition for our existing sweet shop - up to a point. They have different stock, different customer base and different prices.
Thorntons are a treat brand, not an everyday brand. Jens does pocket money ranges, traditional sweets and stuff you just won't find anywhere else.
In my humble opinion (as a bit of a sweet/chocolate addict) there's room for both. Not to mention the benefit of a quality brand coming to Dawlish, surely an up-market shop is better than yet another cheap shop?
I agree with Carer , you wouldn't take your kids into Thorntons to buy their sweets,also Presents have been selling chocolates for sometime now.
Just checking something, I logged on under my usual name but for some reason it came up as Carer - trying again.
Have just seen the Thorntons shop in Newton. It looks like they have started to sell a lot of gift ware, cards etc in addition to the chocy range. Im sure Jens has nothing to worry about. Ordinary working people have never been able to afford Thorntons prices apart from on the odd special occasion
"Not good for the sweet shop owner that has been serving the public of Dawlish for the past years"
Perhaps if they serve the public with similar produce that Thorntons sell, then there wont be a Throntons comming. To be honest nowadays who wants the contents of those plastic jars,( ok I do get my self a 1/4 of those peanut thingies that I used to get as a kid every now and again).