Chris Maclean: A lesson from my friendly local cash & carry

My wife doesn't normally allow me to go to cash and carry. She knows me well. I hate it. Surly staff. Poor stock control. Queues. Everything conspires to make it an awful experience. Normally I leave it seething with anger. It reminds me of the times when I used to visit my mother-in-law.

So my wife normally does the weekly cash and carry trip on her own.

But last week, for some inexplicable reason, I decided to accompany my wife and "help" her do the shopping. Normally this simply entails chucking in packs of nachos, jars of jalapenos and bloke-style food items.

But I wasn't prepared for the shock that greeted us at our local cash and carry store last week.

Okay, it has had a bit of a makeover recently and bright orange dominates the scene. But from the moment I entered through the store doors things were clearly different.

The reception staff were cheery and friendly. We were offered coffee. A young lady offered me a bacon roll. I was curious. "Are you selling the bacon, the rolls or the cooking machines?" I enquired. "Not at all" she explained. This wasn't a sales pitch after all. Simply something nice done for the customers.

Around the store were small tables heaped with biscuits, drinks, snack and sandwiches. Music played pleasantly. Staff smiled.

What a difference. Everyone was keen to help.

On one table were samples of bizarre flavoured crisps. Cajun Squirrel, Builder's Breakfast and Fish & Chips. It appears even Walkers, realising a recession was looming, has decided to be proactive and launch new, innovative and unexpected products.

So what was the explanation for all of this?

Well it seems to me that my local cash and carry store, and probably all their branches elsewhere, have seen the trading environment around them change dramatically and taken the view that a) we're all in this mess together b) the retailers that survive will need to continue to trade and a wholesaler is integral to that c) innovation and initiatives implemented now have a better chance of capitalising on the situation at the moment and also put them in a strong position for the future and d) people are getting fed up with the miserable news and forecasts. Any attempt to have a bit of a party will be gladly received.

This week, for the first time in almost twenty years, I left the cash and carry with a spring in my step. That little shopping trip was a welcome respite from the grind of day to day business.

For me there is a lesson here. People need to escape from much of the drudgery that is in their day to day lives. The pub is the perfect environment to play that out. They don't want to listen to how difficult it is for landlords or how much tax they pay for in their beer. We need to lighten up a bit, invigorate our staff and hand out the free bacon rolls.

It is possible to have some fun out there - even in these bad times. I just wish my mother-in-law was still alive so that I could show her.