Sainsbury’s

THIS IS A RANT REVIEW.
Just been into this store. Never really visit it because it’s not that close to me compared to other supermarkets.
NOT happy. Just been served by the rudest cashier in history.
Let me just get something straight… I want to make it crystal clear. I’m a nice sociable person. I’ll talk to anyone mind. In fact, I quite often enjoy having a bit of causal chit chat. So much so that last night, popped into Asda, got served by a lovely older women called Pam. Pam was full of life, despite her age — not sure if it’s legal to employee her, nonetheless… I was telling her all about my steamer that was also a tuppa wear box, we both agreed how much of a bargain was and that it would be good with salmon. Then we joked about how the card machine wasn’t contactless, and what perhaps would be the next step! Perhaps eye scanning? *insert copyright *
You can tell that I really enjoyed my experience with Pam because I have very fond memories of her. Hence why I feel it was crucial to mention all of the above.
Because I’ll tell you what. I didn’t get served by a lovely sociable Pam. I got served by a grumpy, grunty, gloomy cashier Graham. I’m in two minds to write to head office. I know it sounds really dramatic and I think the way animals are treated and the meat industry itself is pretty horrendous and there is much we don’t know I’m sure… But I felt like a pig or a sheep on a conveyer belt ready to be slaughtered…
No welcome, no care, no acknowledgement, no human or redeeming qualities, he scanned my items as if he was having a race against time, so I was struggling to keep up and put them in my bag. NOT needed, this is not Formula meets cashier, this is a row your boat down the river pace.
I mean he already lost points when he didn’t greet me but I just thought, you know what I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt — he looked pretty dead to be honest, no colour to his face an all, cot death look. But when he started to throw my shopping at the end of the cashier desk I just thought your having a laugh now.
Then. If your anything like me, I like to get rid of change. So I paid some cash and some card. Well I purposed that idea to him. Graham looked at me as if I’d just shot his bloody grandma and her precious cat. It was obviously an issue for him. But he proceeded to do as I requested because I just gave him the cash assertively and said thank you — with a fake smile. We’ve all been there.
THEN. He processed my card payment, £2. Ironically… THEN asked me for my nectar card. To which I literally laughed out loud. I was like, right… Yeah aren’t you supposed to ask me before? No point in scanning it for £2. I SPENT £15!!! That’s at least 8points. I just thought, your a joker, honestly what a joker… you get one thing right about your job but you do it wrong… Ironic!
Right now I’m nearly done. FYI,., he didn’t say thanks or have a good day… PAM did! So, I was just finishing putting all my items in my bag and putting my card alway. Usually the cashier would wait right? Yeh. Too much to ask for him. He decided to do the formular one trick, let’s see how many items I can throw down the cash desk at the speed of light. So this poor women after me in the queue was standing helpless and way behind her packing because I was still in the way. So I just thought, I ain’t having that. So I said…
Listen now, if you’d just wait for 2mins and stop rushing then I’ll be gone and this women will be able to pack accordingly. I stared him straight in the eye through gritted teeth. Like honestly I saw red!!! He actually apologised and then said have a good day when I walked off…
What a idiot.

You can’t really go wrong with Sainsbury’s. While my flatmate was off buying ingredients that fit with his new diet plan (he’s now going to the gym and needs to follow a strict diet of protein and carbs), I bought some Muesli, Petit Danone, Instant Coffee, bread, and a Powerade. When we met up in the dairy section, he scoffed at what was in my cart. And I looked in his cart, and scoffed at what he had. But that’s the thing about Sainsbury’s. It’s the perfect place for healthy and unhealthy eaters alike. (Although the Muesli and Petit Danone were pretty healthy choices on my part)

When it comes to supermarkets, I’m a Sainsbury’s girl through and through. Although a socially-​conscious voice in my head tells me to shop elsewhere, I can’t always afford to, and besides, there is something strangely satisfying about the Sainsburys experience. I guess years of my parents shopping there has conditioned me, but I just don’t think Morrisons or Tesco (evil anyway) cut the mustard! The shops are organized logically and the food is of a better quality.
Despite singing the company’s praises, I don’t think this particular branch in the New England Quarter is THAT fabulous. Granted it’s one of the smaller (without being a S’bury Local) stores, but they don’t stock quite a few of my staples and they often seem to run out of veg items, particularly aubergines and broccoli! Maybe I’m just shopping at the wrong time, I don’t know! The Lewes Rd store is far superior– they have a really impressive world foods section and just generally stock all the interesting bits and bobs (eg. felafels, tofu) that this branch lacks!
If this shop is local to you and you don’t need anything remotely unusual, then go for it– it is convenient and its smaller size means you’re in and out pretty quickly. If like me, you prefer a greater choice, head to Lewes Rd!

I trekked up here after Halloween, feeling suitably hungover and the worst for wear. As you’d expect with a sainsburys, the range of products, and the quality of products is good, though I personally don’t like buying items such as vegetables and fruits from supermarkets, as I find they seem to go off far too quickly. Everything you could possible want can be found in here, including a good selection of ready meals.

The New England Quarter — or the back of the train station as it’s more commonly known — boasts a number of shops, houses and apartment complexes. Supplying the food to the locals and those from further a field is Sainsbury’s.
I used to regualry shop here when I lived on Beaconsfield Road, but unfortunately I am no longer a local resident, so I have been relegated to the massive Tesco in Hove.
I much prefer Sainsbury’s — I think the products are better quality, the stores less cluttered and laid out in a more logical fashion. This store is no exception: it is clean, has plenty of staff around to help and some great offers. You are able to do one big shop here per week, fortnightly, or monthly, depending on your preference. This ultimately saves you time and money, which is kind of the point right?!
I also know that Preston of Celebrity Big Brother and Ordinary Boys fame is a shopper here (I saw him with my own eyes!), so what better seal of approval can you ask for?

I really wish I wasn’t dependent on supermarket chains but the convenience of such a large amount of items in one place and the inevitably cheaper prices make it hard to avoid them when your busy and strapped for cash. This is the largest Sainsbury’s in Brighton so if you are faithful to this giant chain then this is the place for you. As these supermarkets go this one does its job very well. It has a bakery section with excellent fresh baked organic loaves and a selection of cakes. There is a small fish counter and deli counter both of which are ok. It has all your usual basics as well as a decent fruit and veg section with a fair amount of organic to choose from. There is a small row of indian ingredients and opposite it a section of fancier items– expensive olives, dried fruit. etc and a good stock of gluten free and vegan items. The staff are very friendly and the queues move pretty quickly when busy. There are clean customer toilets and a plastic bag recycling box.

This store is off London Road, but I get to it from the station. London Road really depresses me, I don’t go there if I can possibly avoid it.
The entrances are multiple — one onto the pedestrian street that borders the front, one onto a pedestrian cut through, and another is an escalator down to the parking. One great aspect of the transport links — in the side hall (opening onto the cut through) it has links to the electronic information on buses provided by the bus company — so if I know my bus is going to be at my stop in 12 minutes, I know not to dawdle, or I’ll wait another half an hour.
It is huge, the stock level is excellent and the service is pretty good, especially considering that its such a new store — they must have had to train huge numbers of new staff to get this up and running. Its breathing life back into the area, along with other investment, its very welcome.

It’s slightly unexpected to find so large a supermarket in this area, but that’s because it has been built as an integral part of the redevelopment just to the east of Brighton railway station, known as the ‘New England Quarter’. This large, new development includes houses, flats, 2 hotels and student accommodation, and is planned to house over 1,000 people. Sainsbury’s is the anchor store in the small pedestrianised shopping development, adjacent to the towering bulk of St Bartholemew’s Church.
The store itself is about as large as city centre stores get these days, with over 2,300m of retail space: included within the extensive grocery and fresh food sections are a delicatessen, Butchers, Fish Counter and Bakery, and it stocks most of Sainsbury’s ethnic food ranges as well as items like CDs and DVDs, newspapers and magazines.
Non-​retail facilities include toilets (including disabled and baby-​changing facilities), two cashpoints (ATMs) and an underground car park with 186 spaces, 12 disabled spaces and 12 parent-​and-​child spaces. The only thing it lacks is a café, but there are several close by.
It’s close to Brighton railway station but about 150 feet lower, so it’s a bit of a trek back up again if you do a big shop. But nearby London Road has plenty of buses: routes 5, 5a, 5b, 21, 21b, 22, 37, 55, 56, 78, 79, 81, 81a, 81b and 86 stop within 2 minutes’ walk.

This store is in a very useful place for anyone without a car in 7dials area. I find it a great attraction for the ailing London road. Even though its old shop space is boarded up this area needed a better quality superstore. I don’t want to slag of other stores in London road but Sainsbury’s is a bit better than thats on offer.
I find around 5pm the store starts to down price lots of meats/​veg. So a bargain can be made!
There is also carparking.