Le Creuset offers and an aside.

Catalogue news and Vouchers
Last week I attempted to flog you some of the trivia that traditionally inhabits our yearly catalogue, in a normal run of events. This year, however, has been anything but normal for us. As quite apart from Babette's absence and loss, we have been very understaffed and have been trying to reopen Banstead properly (almost there now as it's open Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 4pm) and this has taken its toll on our sanity (at times) and ability to do anything beyond the absolute essentials. So what I'm revving up to say is that this year, for the first time in years, there will be no Christmas Catalogue! And therefore no masterly prose from our "editor" Tim Glynne-Jones and for this state of affairs, I am truly sorry.

Now, it may be that you wouldn't have noticed such a non-event, or it may be that you actually look forward to receiving it and enjoy reading it and spending the vouchers that always accompanied it. And, in fact, when deciding that we didn't have the resources to do one this year, we did decide that we'd send out the vouchers electronically. So, if you wander down the bottom of this email you'll find them nestling there. A £5 voucher to be spent this month and another that may be used from 1st to 31st January 2022. As is usual, there is no minimum spend, it's just a small thank you for putting up with emails every week and spending your hard earned cash with us over the last year. 

An aside
As an aside and returning for a moment to why we decided to not stretch ourselves too far by producing a catalogue, one of my principles in business life is to ensure that when push comes to shove, we shut a shop (as with Banstead for much of this year) rather than have untrained people serving you and possibly giving out the wrong information. When push comes to shove, we will, therefore, give away sales rather than be so stretched that we start "in fighting" or bitching behind others backs. When push comes to shove we will turn off our Google Pay Per Click ads for the websites, (as indeed we have just done) with a loss in revenue of around 30%, because we couldn't cope with the demand, and it would no longer have been fun being so busy. And all of this because, when things get too much, it's all too easy for relationships  to suffer. So we go to great lengths to avoid this happening. 

You may feel that all this sounds very nice and cosy and even altruistic?  Well thank you for thinking this, which is very good of you and I really hate to disabuse you of this charming view of my leadership. But I'm afraid I'm going to, partially at least, do just that.

The people who work with me in Art of Living, do not do so for the money...I don't pay them enough! They do so because broadly speaking they believe, what I believe. We work together because we are cooking enthusiasts and because we enjoy working with other like minded people, in an atmosphere of harmony (most of the time!) and safety and where everyone is valued. A place, as Sinek would say, where we wake up feeling inspired to go to work, to feel safe when there and to return home with a sense that we've contributed to something larger than ourselves. So whilst yes, it's nice to provide a good working environment, (altruism maybe?) it also just makes good business sense. The "right" happy and fulfilled people working well together, go the extra mile when asked and create an environment where the end result is a lot more then the sum of the parts. Not rocket science, not a new idea, but often over looked...

Le Creuset
Ok and now to products. My chums at Le Creuset have been busy again with a raft of Christmas offers and I've listed a number of them for your delight! I'm going to mention just two of them partly because they are very different price points and partly because they represent exceptionally good value and partly because I'm offering a bit of a deal on them. 

3 Piece Stoneware set for £59.95
Firstly, there is a set of three rectangular dishes (three different sizes in 4 colours) with an RRP of £80 and which we are currently doing at £64.95. These dishes vary in size from 32cm which is a really decent size just for Lasagne, Roast Tatties, Macaroni Cheese or even a huge Apple Pie as they've got a decent pastry lip. The 26cm ditto just a lot smaller and when I asked Em what she used her 19cm one for, she said for reheating leftovers. So a really useful and colourful set of very high quality, really quite chip and break resistant oven and freezer proof dishes, made in Le Creuset's ultra-tough stoneware.

For this weekend we are offering them to you at £59.95, please use code "3DISH" to get your extra discount on the website. Do the usual if coming into the shops and tell us who you are.

3 Piece Cookware set for under £250.00
The second item worthy of mention is Le Creuset's (3 Ply Stainless Steel ) 3 Piece Cookware set.

This comprises:  
1.  24cm Frying Pan 
2.  24cm  Casserole 
3.  16cm Saucepan

So, 3 of the work horses of the kitchen which, if we sold them to you at full RRP, would cost you a not inconsiderable £440! The Le Creuset offer price is pretty good at £310, but it gets better because at this very moment we have them at £299, and when I just checked the internet I found a site who are doing it at £246.99, which we are now price matching. So, all this cookware for almost £200 off RRP and even if we were discounting the individual items at 20% you are still making a generous £100 saving. So if you are in the market for a good start up set of high quality pots, this is undoubtedly remarkable value for your money.

Well I'd have like to have stayed and "talked", but we've a lorry load of orders that need picking and packing, over at the new warehouse and that's what I now need to go and help / hinder with. 

So I'll say cheerio and hope you have a pleasant and peaceful weekend.


 Kind regards,

 Andrew

 Andrew Bluett-Duncan Director


VOUCHER CODES
DECEMBER - AOL1221
JANUARY - AOL0122