Shop to shut at 6.30 in the evenings 'until the Spring'

[NickB]

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There is a notice on the shop door at Balvicar Stores saying that the shop is to close at 6.30pm starting from Monday.

[MonaLott]

Seems fair enough. Just hope the dwindling stock levels don't start a downwards spiral.

[Maggie]

And there's a notice outside the pub saying it will close at 2.30 pm but reopen at 5.00 pm.
Anyone else noticed any interesting opening/closing time signs to add to the collection?

mags
x

[NickB]

And there's a notice outside the pub saying it will close at 2.30 pm but reopen at 5.00 pm.
Anyone else noticed any interesting opening/closing time signs to add to the collection?

That's normal Winter hours for the T&T . . . been like that for years. The only change is that last year it started closing early (8pm) Sun/Mon/Tues in the deepest depths of Winter, and I believe it will be doing the same this year in Jan/Feb. It's a wonderful hostelry though, remaining open all Winter for the locals, unlike the pub at the other end which has had rather random Winter opening hours recently.

Regular evening meals finish at the T&T this weekend (though lunches are served all year). Oh, and there's a Quiz Night in the T&T next weekend, Saturday 5th Nov.

Does anyone know what the planned opening hours for the Oyster bar are this Winter, while we are on the subject?

[Minimum]

Not sure of all opening hours, but it should definitely be open on Friday night as I've heard there's going to be a bit of a local celebration going on.

[Beetlejuice]

Re Balvicar Stores.
If you're not open you can't sell things.
If you don't stock things, you can't sell them.

[Herby Dice]

Can I suggest that if anyone has any comments about the way Balvicar Stores is being run (and it seems that many do) they are adddressed to the proprietors? If they don't know people are unhappy, they can't do anything about it.

[MonaLott]

I'm slightly surprised by your intervention here, Mr Moderator, as you have offered no such protective advice to those criticising so many other aspects of Seil life here, including local people, our MSP etc., i.e. as in almost all the other threads on this site. Indeed isn't comment, favourable or vice versa, about any matter of local interest or concern the very reason for a local blog? So on what grounds do you discourage polite and reasonable comments about the shop yet, say, allow taunts and personal insults about other initiatives and local folk? And on what grounds do you also think that those who post here on the shop have not already made their views known to the owners, either directly or indirectly? Personally, I believe that concerned discussion about the shop is well within the ambit of this site. Maybe it's even a fairly gentle way of giving the owners some useful feedback? A key point is surely that, if the full range of basics (fruit, veg, bread etc) isn't stocked all the time, people will just bypass the place and we will lose a great local resource. Everyone on Seil is on the owners' side so they have great goodwill. But they must take direct criticism and comment positively and kindly (not always the case) and indirect comment like this in similar vein. As far as the Moderator is concerned, please allow discussion of all matters which currently occupy the conversations and thoughts of the locals on Seil.

[jimcee]

I would like to leap to the defence of the Moderator in this instance.
If everyone with a gripe felt that they could upload it here and get it out their system, and the object of their concerns were not privy to the site, then they would be unaware of any criticism, and continue on their merry way, oblivious of outside concerns. So the Moderator should be commended for suggesting that concerns should be directed to those who need to address them. Admittedly , it is easier to have a good old moan (a lott) in relative anonymity here, than to confront the recipient directly with your criticism.
It is probably unfortunate that the new shop owners cannot make a public statement ,here or elsewhere, about their situation, problems, and long term goals, to allay interim concerns. Personally I have found them very co-operative with continuing existing arrangements with both Calendars and Telephone directories which benefit both Hall and Community Council - and the community in general.
So, as the Moderator suggests - if you wish to improve the service - tell the service provider.

[MonaLott]

Very admirable, Jimcee (except when it suits you to have a rant on here about the road department etc!) but your message completely ignores my criticism of the Moderator, namely

on what grounds do you also think that those who post here on the shop have not already made their views known to the owners, either directly or indirectly?

Anyway, as I also said, the shop-owners do enjoy enormous local goodwill but they also need to attend to some very simple basics.

[jimcee]

The last thing I want to do is to get involved in a slanging match with another member of this forum - especially one who came to my defence on another matter aeons ago.
However, I would like to dispute the fact that I rant. All my postings have tended to be in the nature of an inquiring frame of mind, from a point of ignorance, asking for outside information on things which I find puzzling and defying logic.
As a recent example of this, I asked our readership (and specifically the Gaelic speaking section) how to spell Seileachan (or Seilachan). So far not a dicky bird has bothered to take up the cudgel. This may be because Gaelic speakers know how to converse in the language orally but are flummoxed when it comes to writing it.
This is not an attempt to divert the course of this thread - merely (hopefully) to prove a point, that ranting is not my first (or second) port of call.

[MonaLott]

Didn't mean to offend, old boy! I withdraw my quite scurrilous accusation.

[Herby Dice]

My goodness, Mona. You have a talent for seeing imaginary sticks and grasping the wrong end. Firstly, I am not only moderator. I am also a member of and irrregular contributor to this forum. Most of the time I merely post my opinion as a member, not as moderator. If I am in moderator mode, I will be explicit. I will state that as Moderator I consider a topic to be off limits (although I have not yet had to resort to such draconian measures on any topic IRC).

In this instance I did not "intervene" or discourage discussion. I do not want to stifle discussion of the current operation of the shop, indeed I welcome it. However, discussion here is not likely to have any noticeable effect. Now if all people want to do is whinge and moan, then this is the ideal place to do it. If, on the other hand they want to effect change then the most logical course of action is to bring it up with the proprietors. I suspect that they do not read this forum, are indeed probably unaware of its existence. Now I agree with most of your comments on the topic. My simple point is that they are useless unless directed at the only people who can address them. Perhaps you have made them directly to the proprietors yourself, in which case I commend you. I suspect that many haven't. If Mark and Shirley don't know your concerns, they can't act on them.

[MonaLott]

Ah, it's always tricky trying to wear 2 hats at once!

[NickB]

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At the risk of setting Mona off again . . .

We've just discovered the hard way that the Post Office now shuts at 5pm instead of 5.30 - no big deal if you know about it, but a PITA if you've just gone in to get your Friday night spending money at 5.15 !

So - with no particular agenda or axe to grind, am posting this here for information as it may save someone else getting caught out.

[MonaLott]

Yes, you've set me off! Is it legal to make up your own Post Office working hours (closed for lunch too) and, allegedly, to make up your own price for a first class stamp?

[NickB]

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Post Office working hours are by arrangement with the Post Office, although there is nothing to stop you opening more hours than you are paid for.

(We used to run a PO as well in another life).

[Herby Dice]

Careful, Mona. Moderator hat on, I don't want any "allegedly"s. Very murky waters ahead, we aren't going there.

[MonaLott]

Agreed!

[MonaLott]

The Post Office's own website still gives 5.30pm as the closing time of Balvicar Stores P.O..