The Oban Times

FURY OVER BOOKER CHARGES

- by Kathie Griffiths kgriffiths@obantimes.co.uk

Small shops are up in arms over ‘unfair’ delivery charges being imposed by wholesaler­s Booker.

Connel Village Store’s Sandra Jordan has already enlisted support from local councillor­s and heard back from MSP Jenni Minto and Argyll and Bute Council leader Robin Currie who have pledged to take it up with Booker.

From Monday February 28, a delivery fee of £29.95 will be added to each delivery for Premier and Family Shopper retailers and £34.95 for all other retail customers. Sandra says a minimum spend of £1,000 – before tobacco – is also being enforced, but only to shops, while hospitalit­y businesses – from cafes to hotels – can have a minimum £100 spend and get their deliveries for no charge.

The changes will force Sandra to reduce her number of deliveries a week to just one and that will cause mayhem with changing staff shifts and with cashflow patterns.

‘Booker, which are owned by Tesco, are enforcing a £1,000 minimum spend, before tobacco, and a £35 plus VAT delivery charge, but only to retail customers. If you don’t spend £1,000 there is no delivery.

‘Catering customers, such as hotels and cafes, no matter how small or how infrequent­ly they order, only have a £100 minimum spend with no delivery charge.

‘It is so unfair. Who supported them during two lockdowns and just now, in quiet times? I have spoken to a few small retailers and we all feel the same,’ she told The Oban Times.

And she added: ‘I’m just five miles down the road from Booker in Oban but am being charged exactly the same as other shops 100 miles away in the likes of Campbeltow­n and Strontian. It’s ludicrous and it has wrecked everything I do. Why are they penalising

small convenienc­e stores like us? They are squeezing us out,’ she said.

Willie Dunlop, who runs Dunbeg Stores, is also furious. He said it could mean him having to lose a member of staff and having to cut opening hours to claw back the extra money that deliveries would now cost him.

‘For two years, convenienc­e stores like ours kept Bookers going through the lockdowns when all the B&Bs and other hospitalit­y places were shut. This is the payback and thanks they give us. They are hammering us. It’s pretty disgracefu­l. I don’t think anyone is happy with it.

‘We were told about the delivery charges out of the blue, just in a phone call with only four weeks’ warning.

‘Bookers are part of Tesco and if I wanted I could spend just £40 with Tesco and get a free delivery. It’s seriously damaging to small businesses like ours.’

Councillor Elaine Robertson said: ‘This is a totally unfair burden Booker is placing on small shops. It’s a directive that has come from Booker HQ with no leeway at all. This could have far-reaching consequenc­es and may well mean the loss of our smaller shops. Our village shops offer a service much more than just being a shop. They are a community hub for many people – a place to go and meet others.’

Booker said it takes the changes very seriously and regrettabl­y has been forced to take this difficult decision due to rising costs.

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email us at editor@obantimes.co.uk

 ?? ?? Booker Wholesale in Oban is introducin­g new charges for retailers.
Booker Wholesale in Oban is introducin­g new charges for retailers.

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