Cheddar village has always had a good range of interesting specialist shops including, as you might expect, lots of cheese shops! For regular groceries and food the options have also been good, ranging from a very convenient "convenience store" at the near-by petrol station (5 minutes walk, if that), to the big (but not huge) Budgens down in the village near the church.
Over the last few years there was a degree of consternation (and rift) in the village when both Tesco (despite having a Tesco Express in the town) and Sainsbury put in planning requests for huge out-of-town style supermarkets on the edge of the village. And where we have huge stores (and 6 brands) in Wells and Weston-Super-Mare just 8 or 10 miles away. Well one, Tesco, got thrown out, but the other was approved. The local grocery stores shuddered at the competition coming, and residents concerned with the extra traffic the big store would need to pull in to make it all economic.
As it happened this all hit the point where supermarkets realised that there were in some kind of crisis and building yet more big stores was not the answer. Sainsbury pulled back.
It was then with some surprise that we then heard that Sainsbury had acquired the existing Budgens store. Fair enough - just a change of brand. But the change has seen the existing store close for almost five months while the store was refitted and branded. A slightly difficult time for locals who relied on it. And indeed guests at the cottage wanting a full food shopping option without getting in a car or bus.
But all is now back to pretty much normal with the Sainsbury now open for business. Of course a lot of our guests get value by having their food pre-ordered and delivered for their arrival using Somerset Local Food Direct.
Over the last few years there was a degree of consternation (and rift) in the village when both Tesco (despite having a Tesco Express in the town) and Sainsbury put in planning requests for huge out-of-town style supermarkets on the edge of the village. And where we have huge stores (and 6 brands) in Wells and Weston-Super-Mare just 8 or 10 miles away. Well one, Tesco, got thrown out, but the other was approved. The local grocery stores shuddered at the competition coming, and residents concerned with the extra traffic the big store would need to pull in to make it all economic.
As it happened this all hit the point where supermarkets realised that there were in some kind of crisis and building yet more big stores was not the answer. Sainsbury pulled back.
It was then with some surprise that we then heard that Sainsbury had acquired the existing Budgens store. Fair enough - just a change of brand. But the change has seen the existing store close for almost five months while the store was refitted and branded. A slightly difficult time for locals who relied on it. And indeed guests at the cottage wanting a full food shopping option without getting in a car or bus.
But all is now back to pretty much normal with the Sainsbury now open for business. Of course a lot of our guests get value by having their food pre-ordered and delivered for their arrival using Somerset Local Food Direct.
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