I wonder whether there will be a Poppy Appeal seller on St Peter’s Square in the forecast rain, tomorrow, the day before Remembrance Sunday.
Have you noticed anything that has subtly changed recently, regarding flag sellers? It’s a little indication of the changes we see in Rhuthun. They are no longer in the town centre.
There was a time when you could bank on a flag seller on appropriate Saturdays, on the Square by the Memorial. With the opening of Lo-Cost, later Co-op Pioneer, they and sundry raffle ticket sellers gradually migrated to the Co-op entrance. Still some retained a town centre presence.
Now, you find few if any even at the Co-op. Instead, they are stationed outside Tesco. Last Saturday, there was one such poppy seller proudly wearing his campaign medal, while commandeering a Tesco trolley for his Poppy Appeal paraphernalia.
You can easily argue that with the Poppy Appeal now taking a very short lease on a former lock-up shop in Well Street there’s no need for a town centre collector with box of poppies and tin. The truth is that charities no longer feel that it’s worthwhile their standing in the town centre (and I include Co-op in this). Tesco is the place to be. Flag sellers are simply responding to the market, choosing their pitch wisely, where people tend to congregate. Rather sad, innit.
Have you noticed anything that has subtly changed recently, regarding flag sellers? It’s a little indication of the changes we see in Rhuthun. They are no longer in the town centre.
There was a time when you could bank on a flag seller on appropriate Saturdays, on the Square by the Memorial. With the opening of Lo-Cost, later Co-op Pioneer, they and sundry raffle ticket sellers gradually migrated to the Co-op entrance. Still some retained a town centre presence.
Now, you find few if any even at the Co-op. Instead, they are stationed outside Tesco. Last Saturday, there was one such poppy seller proudly wearing his campaign medal, while commandeering a Tesco trolley for his Poppy Appeal paraphernalia.
You can easily argue that with the Poppy Appeal now taking a very short lease on a former lock-up shop in Well Street there’s no need for a town centre collector with box of poppies and tin. The truth is that charities no longer feel that it’s worthwhile their standing in the town centre (and I include Co-op in this). Tesco is the place to be. Flag sellers are simply responding to the market, choosing their pitch wisely, where people tend to congregate. Rather sad, innit.