The cost of living is continuing to creep up and a local shop can seem like a lifeline for those not wanting to travel for groceries. But one village almost lost its local when a fire broke out back in May.
The Rhos-on-Sea shop in North Wales, which opened three years ago, was initially thought to be closed for a few days. But as the extent of the fire became clear, a few days went to five months, reports NorthWalesLive.
To help maintain a service for the local community, a temporary pop-up shop was opened in the car park. It has been called the smallest Co-op in the UK.
But how does this temporary shop stand up, and does it offer enough to keep customers happy? NorthWalesLive's Christopher Davies went along to find out - this is what he wrote.
"Almost instinctively, I picked up a basket outside before heading into the one-room shop. I'd barely stepped in when I felt silly for doing so, but how else was I to stack all my shopping? On initial glance, the micro-shop reminded me of the kind of garage shop you'd find just off a motorway, though it was clearly more broadly stocked - and much more reasonable on my bank account.
"The small space still manages to fit in most if not all of the essentials people will need from their regular shop, with milk, bread, fruit, veg and all kinds of snacks accounted for, making the most of every ounce of space they can offer. The shop also doesn't forget about those with more particular needs, with options for gluten and dairy free alternatives still available.
"I picked up a fairly standard shop, accounting for basics - tea for this evening and of course the sweet treat we can all be tempted by, sticking with Co-op brand products where possible. From these 13 items, I was left with a bill for £20.50 with two bags to carry it all in (you can see the full breakdown at the bottom).
"Overall, a reasonable price, if not a little above what you might pay for these products from the larger chain supermarkets. For the people living in Rhos-on-Sea, the nearest alternatives would be Morrisons or Asda."
Christopher continued: "Placing the same order with these two supermarkets offered similar prices overall, though Co-op stood out as the most expensive of the three, with its £20.50 narrowly beaten by Morrisons £19.88, while Asda won out at £17.77 largely down to having the most products on offer. Co-op is generally known for being more middle of the range price-wise, but being run as a co-operative means it helps to bring more funds back into the local area.
"One of the more surprising gaps in price was the cost of mince beef, with 500g costing as much as £4.25 at Co-op, all the way down to £2.90 at ASDA. Only two products from Co-op were cheapest overall, neither of which were own brand, with the Oatly Barista milk and the McCoys variety pack between 30-40p cheaper than the other supermarkets.
"It'll be up to each individual whether this slight increase is worth it for them but, for those in the area who can't travel to other shops, it is an ideal spot to get their weekly shop in. This micro-shop still offers everything you could need and more, leaving enough options of products to choose from. The only people I see it not working so well for is those trying to cook fresh, with only basic fresh ingredients available.
"How the micro-shop fares over the next few months remains to be seen, whether locals will embrace the ability to stay local or will head further away for more options. For now though, Co-op is bravely trying something new while keeping the shop operating, which for many is the most important part."
Price Comparison Breakdown:
Oatly Barista Milk - Co-op £1.50 / ASDA £1.90 / Morrisons £1.99
Original Source Shower Gel - Co-op £1.30 / ASDA £0.90 / Morrisons £1.75
Own brand Mince Beef 500g - Co-op £4.25 / ASDA £2.90 / Morrisons £3.29
Own brand Tinned Chopped Tomatoes - Co-op £0.55 / ASDA £0.38 / Morrisons £0.49
Own brand Royal Gala Apples - Co-op £1.90 / ASDA £1.50 / Morrisons £1.79
Own brand 6 Medium Eggs - Co-op £1.25 / ASDA £1.05 / Morrisons £1.05
Own brand Tinned Red Kidney Beans - Co-op £0.95 / ASDA £0.50 / Morrisons £0.69
Jamaica Cake - Co-op £1.75 / ASDA £0.80 / Morrisons £0.75
McCoys Variety Pack - Co-op £1.50 / ASDA £1.75 / Morrisons £1.75
Kellogg's Crunchy Nut 500g - Co-op £2.50 / ASDA £2.50 / Morrisons £3.30
Own brand Strawberries - Co-op £2.00 / ASDA £2.89 / Morrisons £1.99
Own brand White Farmhouse Loaf - Co-op £0.95 / ASDA £0.70 / Morrisons £0.79
