Books are a pain in the arse.

Last night after a welcoming party of warm wine, chicken tikka, crisps and a speech by the Lord Mayor of Croydon, I had a guided tour of our new supermarket - I know this is getting boring, but you bookselling and publishing types who read this, just bear with me a little while longer.

The supermarket is great. A lot of thought has gone into it, it's very well laid out, and it's quite clear that they have taken a lot of advice about the local area - although I will wager a pound to a penny that they will be expanding the organic veg section threefold by the end of the year.

Anyway, as we came towards the end of our tour and we approached the racking for DVD's and magazines I said to my excellent guide;

So, okay, lets get it over with, show me the books.

No books, he said.

You must have some books, I said.

No, he said. Books are a pain in the arse. In the end, he said, Sainsbury's are only interested in stocking things that make them money, and books don't do that.

Can I quote you on that? I said.

He looked at me quizzically. Err, no, he said.

Comments

[Clive Keeble]

Books are a pain

Just luv it!! I seem to remember a news report this week about Sainsbury's increasing their book sales by 34% year on year : must have been mistaken.

Party, party and let the customers flow back.

[roland bates]

Sainsbury's channeling the spirit of P. Larkin?

[JonathanM]

Roland, for true life.

I so wish I had thought of that - particularly when I was mid conversation with Clive Anderson on National Radio 2, by default defending the *family* business from the tree huggers.