Londis

Everyone knows what a Londis shop does… they sell groceries and alcohol along with soft drinks and confection. But perhaps not everyone knows that they are a franchise like Spar and the Life Style convenience stores, and so they are owned as independent businesses, and are not to be confused with supermarket chains. The essential and important difference is that supermarkets make their profits for the organisation, whereas shops like Londis are profitable for the individual owners. A friend told me an interesting statistic the other day… apparently 80% of the money spent at supermarkets leaves the local economy whereas 80% of the money spent at independent stores remains within circulation in the local economy… which is great if it’s true! If high percentages of money leave a localised area, then impoverishment will eventually ensue. So, to retain 80% of the money you spend within the area in which you live means the opposite!
The Clifton Street Londis outlet is owned by Mansoor Tariq and his brother. Together they own a couple of businesses in the area, including the ever popular Splott Fish Bar, which has graced Splott Road for about thirty years, and was recently acquired by the brothers about three years ago.
\Mansoor Tariq decided to go into business with his brother after completing his degree, and having a baptism of fire in the business world in Pakisthan. This experience left him and his brother feeling as though they ‘didn’t want to work’, and this is why they opted to buy a couple of business to manage. When Mansoor, a charming 25 year, mentioned that he didn’t want to work, I interpreted this as meaning that he didn’t want to be managed by someone else, and instead wanted to be his own boss.