Sainsbury's Alphington

20/03/08

Leaflet rack in the atrium of Sainsbury's at Alphington - our flyers were added to the selection of Sainsbury's leaflets (their leaflets were predominantly about healthy eating, with some recipe cards. You could also purchase a miniature ringbinder [displayed in the leaflet rack] to store the recipes in - however, as it was in the rack with the recipes and leaflets, it appeared to be a freebie, especially as it was in the atrium and outside the /purchasing area' - so it seemed likely that the ringbinders would be accidentally stolen.)

This is an enormous shop, with a large section for newspapers and magazines. Flyers were tucked inside the pages of newspapers and magazines. There is also a cafe, with another leaflet rack, where more flyers were put. There are many many products in the store, but we were unsure whether this meant more choice, or more of the same- but- similar products. It's hard to say, but we each bought a very satisfactory picnic lunch. Some flyers were tucked into products on the shelves. Flyers were placed into the shopping trolleys of other customers, and also into the packed plastic shopping bags of customers at the check-out. Flyers were added to the small leaflet racks at the check-out counters.

The first time we came to Alphington Sainsbury's we had been on a walk through Marsh Barton - the continuation of our journey into Alphington made an interesting juncture with the earlier part of our walk through the industrial estate of Marsh Barton...

The Juncture of Marsh Barton and Alphington
The road makes a severe curve and then straightens; Marsh Barton continues ahead, but on our right we see a change of architecture. A footpath leads out of the area, cutting into the grass verge and subtly connecting with the pavement on the Marsh Barton side. We walk into this inlet. Ahead is a row of low, neat, closely and evenly spaced houses of soft light red brick, in a 1970s modern and minimal terrace. They have a repeated pattern of curved ‘mini-porches’ above the lintel of the front door. Opposite is a row of low-rise white painted flats. It is a drastic change of scale and purpose; there is no transition or demarcating boundary between the housing estate and the Industrial Estate. They are simply placed at an oblique angle to one another; the row of houses ending as all cul-de-sacs do, the grass verge of the pavement on the Marsh Barton side sweeping around the corner. It is an abrupt abuttal that makes it clear the two areas are mutually disinterested.

…And on to Alphington/in search of Tea
Each side of the street has a continuous line of pristine front gardens, with bright and beautiful flowers. The road leads on to a T-junction with a busy main road and the village of Alphington. At the junction is an old fashioned house, slightly worn out, with a plaque telling that This was the home of Charles Dickens’ Parents until 1870.

We really want a cup of tea, we have been longing for one, planning one for the last hour and a half of our walk. We search the village of Alphington – Serena asks in the Post Office ‘Where can we get a cup of tea?’ Clare and I wait outside, hopefully. Serena returns ‘There is nowhere to get tea in Alphington except Sainsbury’s. But an old lady said she might start doing it at her cottage. I asked her where her cottage is, but she said “I’m not starting today though" ’. We walk along the busy road realising again that life in villages is incomplete. The road leads into an even larger and busier road, via a large roundabout. It is far to Sainsbury’s. An intricate circuit of roads, entranceways and hedge ways encircles the Supermarket, which is hidden from view. Concessions have been made for pedestrians, however, with pavements and walkways, which run alongside the main road and then edge through the Supermarket complex. We do not pass any other people on foot. There are hedges marking out the vast car park, as if fields had been replaced by a concrete rural. A gap is neatly cut in the hedge for the footpath to pass through. A solitary old lady emerges from the hedge and walks towards us, across the road. She looks worn and grey in the face, is stringy looking and carrying one bag of Sainsbury’s shopping. She is the only other person visible in this car-orientated complex.

We arrive at the Supermarket. It is huge. There is a large café restaurant at the front, but the tables are empty and the counters have no food. Notices are blu tak-ed to the back of two chairs, which form a barrier to the restaurant: ‘We regret to inform you that due to technical problems with the tills our customer restaurant is currently closed. Sorry for any inconvenience caused. Sainsbury’s’. We sit down on the chairs, tea-less, despondently, after our long walk.

The supermarket is so vast we want to know how many square feet it is, it’s impressive. Serena goes to find the manager to ask.