Open door policy

Published: 12:19 PM November 14, 2008 Updated: 4:03 AM February 23, 2021

TAKE a look outside your window and agree with me that it is cold and very rainy today. Then go down the high street in Saffron Walden leading out of the Market Square and look at the number of stores who leave their doors wide open. I was just in Cli

TAKE a look outside your window and agree with me that it is cold and very rainy today.

Then go down the high street in Saffron Walden leading out of the Market Square and look at the number of stores who leave their doors wide open.

I was just in Clifton's and both doors were wide open, it was decidedly cold in there and I could hear the heaters going full blast.

I questioned the saleslady and she said: "I hate to say this, but it is Clifton's policy that the doors are always open. Our sales drop if we close the doors because people can't be bothered to come into a shop if they have to open doors."

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I thought this was some kind of joke, but upon walking back up the street to the Market Square, sure enough over half the shops had their doors open.

My next thought is that in order to meet the high cost of heating the shops HAVE to increase their prices to pay for huge utility bills. Starbucks got it in the neck a few weeks ago with their ludicrous defence of running water, but it seems that stupidity runs rampant throughout the retail sector.