Page 2 | If you live in Central London and don't have a car...

homeedregret · 2022-03-20T22:16:02+00:00

How do you do a big shop? What about going to Home Bargains or B & M? (I always end up buying loads of stuff and can't imagine lugging it on public transport). Do you travel out to a Lidl or Aldi? Or do you just shop in your local Tesco Express? Sorry for the sort of TAAT, but I wondered this on my latest trip to London and the thread reminded me.

Calandor · 20/03/2022 23:23

I order bigger loads from Sainsburys but usually I just go more often and shop for fewer things or nip to the Tesco Extra every other day.
I don't go to Home Bargains/B&M tbh. Stops me spending money I guess. If we have to go for something big, like IKEA, we hire a Zipcar for a few hours.
Lidls a 15 minute walk so we just walk there and carry stuff back. It's annoying and can be a bit painful but needs must.

We live on the fourth floor anyway so we have to hike things up the stairs regularly as even if delivered the drivers leave everything in the foyer.

Basically... we exercise more than we would without a car 😂 Probs for the best really as I'm a lazy sod.

Calandor · 20/03/2022 23:25

@UrsulaPandress

Imagine not having random access to B&M and Home Bargains.

.

I just spend money on crap I don't need whenever I go to one so I'm not sad 😂

Charette · 20/03/2022 23:28

@Wingingitsince2018

Used to live in Farringdon, zone 1. We did a monthly delivery or would pay for a taxi home where we stocked up on heavy tins and cupboard stuff. Then did regular shops every few days, partly due to carrying issues, partly due to having a tiny kitchen!

Once got the bus from Tottenham ikea with a full length mirror, Billy bookcase and a big blue bag of candles, fake plants and other assorted necessities (including one of those nags of mini daim bars). Was a long and slightly unpleasant experience, would now just hire a zip car for when needed.

This is making me glow with happy nostalgia. We lived in Manor House, bought all our furniture at cheapie auctions on the Essex Rd, and used to take a lot of it home on the 341 bus. We also carried a giant extending ladder home from Robert Dyas on St Martin’s Lane on the Piccadilly line. 😀

SushiShopSearch · 20/03/2022 23:31

Living in London, hardly anyone needs a car. Public transport is fantastic and to maintain a car costs about 3K a year (depreciation and all the rest included).

The world is dying. Get on your feed/bike/scooter.

urbanbuddha · 20/03/2022 23:38

There's a baby Aldi that's walkable (just), and 2 Lidls and a bigger Aldi all one bus ride away. Waitrose and little Sainsbury, Tesco and Co-op plus the market are all easily walkable and good big Sainsburys a bus ride away.
Good Poundland also walkable, but I've never been to Home Bargains. There's one in New Cross I think but that's two tubes and the overground away.
Ikea's in Wembley and means a minicab home but there's one opening sometime soon in the old Topshop on Oxford Street. Interesting that Ikea's moving into the centre when so many others are struggling.

Comefromaway · 20/03/2022 23:42

@UrsulaPandress

Imagine not having random access to B&M and Home Bargains.

.

It’s the one thing my daughter really misses about living in London. She always stocks up when she’s home for a visit.

pitterpatterrain · 20/03/2022 23:43

We mainly get everything delivered - particularly the big weekly shop

Walking distance to Lidl/Asda/Coop/Mini Tesco/ Mini Sainsburys

Then like a PP we use ZipCar but tbh the shops you mention aren’t here

Mainly find that friends coming from out of London are a bit surprised at how much we walk everywhere / catch the bus etc

FlowerArranger · 20/03/2022 23:45

@UrsulaPandress

Imagine not having random access to B&M and Home Bargains.

.

But we have cccess to LONDON, so there!!

LondonQueen · 20/03/2022 23:48

I don't live in London anymore (and always had a car when I was there) but surely you'd just do online delivery, so much easier.

Interviewdisaster · 20/03/2022 23:51

We’re in zone 2 with no car. I get an Ocado delivery every couple of weeks to stock up on tins, loo roll and laundry detergent - heavy / bulky stuff! Fresh food comes home in my backpack from the Lidl 10 minutes walk down the road. We too have transported flat pack furniture from Tottenham IKEA on the 341. It’s known locally as the IKEA bus.

What do people buy in B&M / Home Bargins? I’m intrigued! It might be for the best that we don’t have them as we don’t have much space thanks to London property prices…

londonmummy1966 · 21/03/2022 00:00

Supermarkets deliver - especially for the heavy stuff. The rest of the time we are surrounded by M&S food halls, little Waitrose, Sainsburys local and Tesco express to top up.

IKEA - take the tram there, select what I want and get IKEA to deliver

Anything else - order from JL or AO and have delivered or order from ebay amazon argos currys etc

Stuff I have to buy in person - tube there and get a taxi home.

Comefromaway · 21/03/2022 00:02

Toiletries and cleaning products are way cheaper in B & M than supermarkets. They are also cheaper than pound shops.

Then there is stuff like dog treats bedding, cushions, towels, kitchenware, trays and things to organise your stuff in. And the sweets and crisps section is out of this world.

Christmas and occasions are awash with gifts. It’s like Boots but more choice and a fraction of the price.

BocolateChiscuits · 21/03/2022 07:19

Those granny style shopping trolleys on wheels are way more practical than they look. They fit loads, and are light to pull along. Have a family member in zone 1 with one, and I was amazed how great they are when we went shopping together.

Original poster

homeedregret · 21/03/2022 07:24

It is my absolute dream to live in Central London, but my heart is genuinely sore at the thought of all of you not knowing the pleasure that is Home Bargains (I'm not really keen on B&M, so no love lost there). Food items are much cheaper than supermarkets, it's great for presents and their knock off Joe Malone candles are better than the real thing. Mind you I'd probably save a fortune and be a few stone lighter if I stopped going.

OP posts:

SmugglersHaunt · 21/03/2022 07:25

I've lived in zone 2 for 30 years now and have never learned to drive. I just get cabs or deliveries when I need them. A friend has a car if I need to buy something big in person

hunder · 21/03/2022 07:29

Supermarket delivery once a week.
I've got a reasonably big Waitrose a few minutes walk from my door and loads of smaller supermarkets within 5 mins.
I've never been to a B&M or Home Bargains!

BendingSpoons · 21/03/2022 07:30

When I lived alone (well, in a flatshare but cooking for just myself) I lugged stuff home on the bus wishing I had a granny trolley. Then topped up in Tesco Express.

As a couple we shopped several times a week on the way home from somewhere (Co-op right by the tube). We started to do less frequent supermarket deliveries for bulky stuff and gradually switched to weekly supermarket deliveries. I didn't (still don't) visit Home Bargins etc. IKEA would go infrequently and pay for delivery.

I have now moved to the suburbs with a car but still do a weekly delivery. I find it so much easier than trailing round Lidl with a small child!

lllllllllll · 21/03/2022 07:35

Simple - you just get everything delivered!

AHungryCaterpillar · 21/03/2022 07:37

I don’t live in central but do live in London and don’t drive, you just get an online delivery (I don’t like Aldi or Lidl so wouldn’t shop there anyway) home bargains and b&m are ok but again not somewhere I shop regularly. I would normal just order from wilko or Argos.

DonGray · 21/03/2022 07:38

We have a car but I don't use it for supermarket shopping
It's easier to have the groceries delivered

AHungryCaterpillar · 21/03/2022 07:40

@UrsulaPandress

Imagine not having random access to B&M and Home Bargains.

.

There are home bargains and b&m just not central, I have both of them right near me in my part of London but don’t go there often.

Mhprob67 · 21/03/2022 07:40

Online supermarket shop for big stuff, local shops for top ups.

I don’t miss a car at all for food shopping.

JanisMoplin · 21/03/2022 07:41

I get online grocery delivery from Tesco or Sainburys. Top up by walking to the nearby grocery store. I don't buy anything else in a big shop.

Never shop at B and M 's or Home Bargains. We are quite minimalist and I have no need for candles or other home stuff. We don;t do Christmas either - not Christian- so no need for presents.

I spend most of my money on experiences- not stuff- and there is no beating London for that!

Mhprob67 · 21/03/2022 07:43

@homeedregret

It is my absolute dream to live in Central London, but my heart is genuinely sore at the thought of all of you not knowing the pleasure that is Home Bargains (I'm not really keen on B&M, so no love lost there). Food items are much cheaper than supermarkets, it's great for presents and their knock off Joe Malone candles are better than the real thing. Mind you I'd probably save a fortune and be a few stone lighter if I stopped going.

Never been to either shop, but with so many other shops in London, I’d say you won’t miss them!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 21/03/2022 07:44

We're in Zone 2. No car, non-drivers. We get most food delivered by Ocado and (brace yourselves, MN!) we never go to IKEA, which is miles and miles away - no need for more tat!

We have various small shops nearby for top up shops, or I walk a bit further afield to where there's a bigger choice, taking my shopping trolley with me. Armed with that, I can walk back with quite a lot of stuff. Far less strain on the arms and shoulders than carrying bags.

Nearest Aldi and Lidl branches to us are further away, about 1.5 and 2 miles away respectively, and not on direct bus routes, so I rarely go there.

Anything big and heavy we buy we would get delivered.