Web Deliveries, Sunday Opening, Robert Welch etc
Andrew Bluett-Duncan
Director
Well I was going to do a bit that I heard on Stephen Bartletts pod cast this week, but to do it justice I think it needs more time than I’ve got here, so I’ll, shelve it for now.
The Websites
The web has been extremely busy and as you know from last weeks missive, I’ve been helping out a bit over there. I say a bit, infact it’s taken the majority of my time, for the past fortnight, however one notable morning earlier this week, I made 5 mistakes in picking, either the wrong thing or not the correct quantity and were it not for the vigilance of my team over there, we’d have sent out the wrong stuff of course. But they come smiling and patiently to me, and tell me and I go in search of the correct item. Good thing we see mistakes a friends…. So how much actual help I’ve been may on some days be a moot point….?
Now however DPD, our carriers are having trouble delivering in the north of the country. In fact anywhere north of a line drawn from Bristol, to Hull! So not just north! And so severe is the their problem and our own volume of orders, that we can now no longer guarantee a Christmas delivery.
If you have ordered from us by 11.00am Wednesday 14th and are awaiting delivery, then DPD willing, you will get your parcel in time, but for the moment we are playing safe and saying anything now ordered (after 11.00am on Wednesday 14th this week) is not guaranteed to arrive by the 23rd Dec(no deliveries this year on 24th as it’s a Saturday). This situation may well change as the weekend and next week progress….we’ll see!
Sunday Opening
Both our Cobham and Reigate are open again this Sunday 18th Dec from 10.00am to 4.00pm.
Robert Welch 2 Piece Essentials set(6” Cooks Knife + Bread Knife) RRP.£114.00 our price £90.00
This is a really useful set comprising a 6” (16cm) Cooks knife, a good size knife for many jobs in the kitchen and good for those who are a bit wary of big knives, of which I tend to be one. I love Robert Welch knives for their handles, which I find comfortable and the ability to chop in the centre of the chopping board without my knuckles getting in the way, as I cut.
And then there’s a good Bread Knife, which I don’t own, but my brother has one that I’ve used occasionally, and its certainly up to the job, and like the cooks knife it’s just lovely quality!
Both these knives together will set you back £90 for the pair, which in the context of top quality knives, think Wusthof, think Henckels or Global, is something of a bargain.
Le Creuset Bakeware
From time to time I allow Vicky from Le Cresuet to persuade me to buy stuff that I wouldn’t naturally go for, sometimes the sales surprise me, sometimes not. A case in point are these three trays of Christmassy Bun Trays…. Oh dear. I know Christmas is not a time of good taste, but these somewhat take the biscuit, and I am now wondering “why did I order them?” They are beautifully made as all Le Creuset bakeware is, but they retail for £35 a tray and for something that you may only use once a year it wasn’t the best thought out decision of my life. Daft even! So sadly, we’ve hardly sold any. So here’s a deal for you. Buy one (or more … please) at £20 discount! And if you use them during the year, just close you eyes when eating, and I promise you won’t know the difference.
Mermaid Roasters
Don’t forget, now that we have Mermaid Roasters back in stock, one of the best Roasters on the market is once again available from us. Tough as nails (but NOT Dishwasher Safe) these elegantly designed Roasters in three sizes, are ones you’ll be handing down to your children. Unlike non stick coated roasters these are also suitable for making gravy on the hob (won’t work on Induction sadly) and I’m a huge fan of the whole range, and as these roasters get a lot of use at this time of year I thought I’d remind you about them.
And actually, reading this makes me think of the equally wonderful Tala Roasters that we also use at home a lot, made in this country from heavy gauge steel and beautifully enamelled*, they are “the Le Creuset” of the Steel enamelled world, and will also last you a life time. Unlike the Mermaid, they are suitable for Induction and will go in the Dishwasher.
*And just in case your interested, they are pressed in Oldham ( by a fella called Matthew and his team) and enamelled (by hand!) in Bingley (by a fella called Collis, and his team). This info came courtesy of Nick Squire (he of the X5) whose BRILLIANT idea it was. I’ll have to think of something else to tease him about for 2023…even I’m getting a bit bored with the X5 one, all the more because now there’s the X6, which makes the X5 look almost pretty…
Solar Queen £16.96
A lovely reminder of Her Majesty, or tasteless tat? When I saw them out on the counter in Reigate just now, I felt a little tinge of sadness, and then the waving hand brought a smile to my face! So, I’ll leave you to decide on its appropriateness this year as a stocking filler. But we do have lots of other tasteless “must haves” for stocking fillers, and maybe one or two that are tasteful. Or if that’s stretching a point then at least some are genuinely useful.
Well that’s it from me this week. Next week is Christmas Eve, so if I’m really on the ball, and you’re local to our shops, then I might succeed in reminding you about all the things you may forgotten for Christmas day, but that would require organisation, forethought and planning….
I hope you have a pleasant and peaceful weekend.
Kind regards
Andrew
Andrew Bluett-Duncan
Director
Leave a comment