Home deliveries (From The Northern Echo)

Home deliveries

7:52pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Letters

AS I struggle to find a parking space in the supermarket car park I'm aware of the retailing revolution that's taken place during my lifetime.

I was ten when sweet rationing ended in 1953. I remember particularly because as a treat I was allowed to go and buy a quarter of dolly mixtures.

What I do recall, however, is that I can't remember my mother ever going shopping on a routine basis. There were shops of course, but all the suppliers of everyday goods had delivery rounds.

The milkman and greengrocer delivered, both by horse and cart, along with the baker, butcher and fishmonger. If my mother wanted anything out of the ordinary she'd send me to the corner shop.

Other street traders who did regular rounds were the rag and bone man (again, usually horse drawn), the coal man and the knife grinder.

There have, of course, also been quite remarkable technological advances, but the rise of the supermarket has been unstoppable and truly astonishing.

VJ Connor, Bishop Auckland