What happened to the Co last week?

Normally, our beloved C-op does very well, but towards the end of September, both the Lamlash and Brodick stores were full of disconsolate would-be customers. Why were so many shelves empty? Why was there no plain yoghurt, no meat, no organic milk? Liz at the Lamlash Co said the lorry hadn’t come. They were having problems in Manchester, it seems. Trooble at t’depot, or something.  The staff at the Lamlash store were equally distraught. ‘There’s nothing we can do about it,’ they said, which was obviously true.

Fortunately, our splendid local shops supply almost everything we need – but it is a shame that the Co, which we appreciate for its ethical stance and its willingness to supply small, isolated communities, gets these logistical problems. That’s the trouble, we suppose, with large, central distribution. When it works, fine. When it doesn’t, we’re on our own. Keep growing the spuds, people, and never be surprised when Big Brother has a bad hair day.