Gillions Delicatessens

Gillions in Crosby is an odd sort of place. From the outside, it just looks like a glorified convenience store, larger than usual and generally a bit more open.
When you enter though, you realise that it’s more like the Selfridges food court than the local One Stop. In here, they stock various different types of goods, including bread, freshly cut meats, drinks and other home essentials. The ‘essentials’ might not always be your usual kind (a bit more upmarket), but they’re essential nonetheless. As it’s an independent store, the prices are a bit steeper than if you went to your local supermarket, but by buying from there you are supporting a local business, something which Crosby is struggling to uphold currently.
The staff in there are friendly enough and attentive, but I did find the layout of the shop a bit confusing when it comes to paying; the till by the door was unmanned and the only other staff were behind the deli counters, meaning I was unsure where to actually pay for my goods. One member did eventually come over however, crisis averted.
They also do catering for events, which I have had the pleasure of sampling (though not paying for, thankfully).

With all the «SHOP LOCAL» propaganda of late, I will guiltily admit that I very rarely shop here, mainly because I am not the main household shopper and anything I need house-​wise is usually in the cupboard waiting for me! However. I was in need of a christmas gift for a dear grandmother of mine, rather desperately as I had left shoppng rather late, and just days before the big day, I popped to Gilleons delicattessen. Some months earlier I had purchased some unusual cheeses from a delicattessen in lake district and, as Granny had polished those off delightedly, I thought a nice cheese board would go down well over a game of Christmas scrabble or during Poirot. The cheeses were quite unusual, stilton and blueberry and camembert with something, nuts or raisins. anyway it went down extremely well, Granny even thought I’d been back to the lakes for it, which shows the quality of the produce sold here!
I must say I was surprised by the interior of the store, Gilleons has always appealed from the pavement with it’s striped window canopies and chalk board it looks so quaint and inviting, inside however it’s a little minimartish, it’s clean and stocks a good deal of essentials and extras, but it lacks character. Also, the staff were suprisingly inattentive, the cheese deli server was decidedly miserable and the cashier continued a conversation over my head, barely acknowledging my presence or purchase: no bag and no ‘thankyou’. A little rude.