Major UK supermarkets provide updates on delivery services
Several of the major UK supermarkets have issued statements in response to the growing volume of website traffic; providing updates for customers hoping to get food and drink dropped off on their doorsteps.
As it turns out, the great Scramble For Delivery Slots of April 2020 wasn’t just an infuriating flash in the pan, after all.
Six months down the line, we’re all back at square one: Staring at the delivery pages on supermarket websites and hitting the refresh button with one hand whilst crossing our fingers with the other.
Joy.
As cases rise and restrictions increase, more and more people are turning back to home drop-off services – whether its due to isolation, shielding, or to avoid social interaction with others wherever possible.
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Several of the major supermarkets have issued statements in response to the growing volume of website traffic, offering updates for customers hoping to get food and drink dropped off on their doorsteps.
Here’s what some of the major brands have had to say so far.
Same-day delivery isn’t available from Tesco right now, but at the time of writing there are slots available with three to five days.
Tesco is prioritising services for customers in isolation – and there’s an option to let the driver know you’re isolating so you don’t have to come into contact with them.
Tesco shopping doesn’t arrive in bags as standard anymore, “so you’ll need to choose to get your shopping in bags when you check out.”
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The bag charge is 40p.
The supermarket stated: “We know that it’s difficult right now to get a delivery slot for online shopping. We’re at full capacity for the next few weeks, so if you’re able to shop in-store safely instead of booking a delivery, it would be a great help. This will allow us to start freeing up more slots for the more vulnerable.
“We’re looking at every opportunity to increase the number of slots available. As we increase our capacity, we’ll also set aside more of these slots for our most vulnerable customers.”
At the time of writing Asda still has a number of slots available for delivery in Manchester – but they’re filling up pretty quickly.
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The Asda Delivery Pass service is currently not available to new customers due to high demand.
The supermarket added: “Unfortunately we cannot guarantee delivery slots to existing Delivery Pass customers either, so if you do not save money on your delivery pass, we will refund the difference automatically with an eVoucher.”
Asda has also stated that in certain circumstances they will place limits on certain products – likely in an attempt to prevent that toilet roll fiasco in spring from happening all over again.
Sainsbury’s is continuing to distribute food to homes – prioritising delivery slots for vulnerable customers.
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“We have been working hard to expand our service across home delivery and we are now able to offer home delivery slots to many of our customers,” the supermarket stated.
“We’re continuing to prioritise access to home delivery slots for vulnerable customers, and are releasing new slots regularly.”
There are apparently as many as 700,000 weekly slots available across stores.
New customers can also register online for both home delivery and click and collect slots.
Morrisons delivery slots are looking pretty packed out in the city right now, but it’s still worth trying your luck as drop-offs may be more widely available in certain postcodes.
The supermarket also does pre-packed food boxes (meat and veggie) – which are great to order either for yourself or send to a family member/friend who might be isolating.
There’s also some rationing going on – with items like toilet roll and disinfectant limited to three items per person to prevent stockpilers grabbing all the goods.
Co-Op appears to have a number of slots available – although this may change as demand is expected to increase further over the coming days.
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The minimum spend is £25, and drop-off prices vary depending on where you’re getting your items dropped off.
You’ll need to sign up and register an account to arrange delivery.
The supermarket stated: “We are restricting all delivery orders temporarily to 30 items per shop, so everyone has the opportunity to get hold of those essential items they need.”
The ‘headphone dodger’ proposal that could see people who play loud music on public transport fined
Danny Jones
A group of politicians are calling for people who play music and videos out loud on public transport to be fined, and not just a small fee, either. How about a grand?…
Yes, a new idea floated by members of the Liberal Democrats would see so-called ‘headphone dodgers’ hit with a penalty of a whopping penalty of up to £1,000.
Obviously, the idea would need government backing in order to make it through as an official bill, but it seems several Labour and Conservative MPs agree, and the suggestion alone already has caused plenty of online discussion.
Should 'headphone dodgers' who play loud music and videos on public transport face a fine of £1,000?
Sparking quite the water-cooler conversation too, the proposal is something that clearly taps into a fairly common nuisance among the general public and one that has increased in the era of smartphones, tablets and so on.
While it’s definitely something people can relate to, and the highly reactionary idea of charging them such a large sum of money, many on social media have noted that while the concept is one they can get behind, the figure seems excessive to most.
The no-headphone fine would apply to those playing music and video out loud on buses, trains and trams at what would generally be considered an obnoxious volume; if given the green light, this rule would be included in the railway byelaws and the current ‘Bus Services Bill‘ amended.
It has been suggested that a potential national campaign deterring this kind of behaviour would follow, with the party arguing plainly that commuters deserve to “enjoy a moment of peace.”
A similar policy has emerged regarding drivers as well.
This push from the Lib Dems comes after they commissioned a poll which found that “more than half of Brits said they would not feel empowered to ask somebody to turn down their music” while on board public transport, with over a third confessing they’ve come across the issue before.
Lisa Smart, the party’s home affairs spokesman, said: “Far too many people dread their daily commute because of the blight of antisocial behaviour — and headphone dodgers playing loud music on buses and trains are some of the worst offenders.”
She went on to add, “It’s time to take a stand for the quiet majority who just want to get from A to B in peace.” It is believed that both politicians in power and members of the opposition have already expressed support for the idea, even if specifics like the severity of the fine are up for debate.
Middleton to receive a cinema and Metrolink as part of regeneration plans
Thomas Melia
Greater Manchester town Middleton is about to undergo a huge facelift thanks to a new regeneration project, including a new cinema and Metrolink tram station.
Middleton is one of many bustling communities that make up the borough of Rochdale, and with these new plans, the town might receive a fair few new visitors who want to know what it’s all about.
The Greater Manchester town is undergoing a huge transformation with regeneration plans confirming that Middleton will receive a brand new cinema complex along with an extended Metrolink line as part of the Bee Network expansion covering this area.
This is all thanks to Middleton teaming up with the Mayor to launch the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which pushes forward regeneration plans for the town and future ideas.
Middleton Shopping Centre right in the heart of the town centre.Middleton Town Centre bustling as the markets take place.Credit: Steven Haslington (via Geograph)/@Rept0n1x (via Flickr)
The MDC considers lots of aspects of the town and even aims to create new homes and improve surrounding public spaces.
Middleton regeneration plans have been floated previously, but complications arose due to a lack of land and available funding, which ultimately brought these foundations to a halt.
Now it seems the green light has been lifted and Middleton is about to get a whole new facelift, which will not only improve the town economically but aesthetically too, along with the wider Rochdale region.
For many Middletonians, the idea of a cinema may have felt like a distant memory, with their last big screen location shutting down just over a decade ago.
This all-new high street regeneration will not only bring an array of shopping favourites back to the town centre but also the long-awaited return of a local cinema. Most importantly, the plans also include a slate of new housing, with an estimated 300 apartments set to be created in one building alone.
Early CGIs of the proposed Middleton regeneration plans.Grade II-listed Warwick Mill looks set to be turned into flats.Credit: Publicity Picture (supplied)
This all falls in line with the ‘Atom Valley scheme‘, which has been commissioned in order to generate over 20,000 job opportunities for people in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.
The scheme also mentions how it aims to bring a combined economic boost of around £1 billion to these previously mentioned areas.
Rochdale Borough Council leader, Neil Emmott, said: “The development of 1.2 million square metres of employment space around the junction 19 area will help to generate 20,000 high-quality jobs and bring a £1 billion economic boost.”
The Manc -
8th October 2020 
