Pimms and Eton Mess at the Co-op

Good news for people shopping at their Midlands Co-op branch in Fleckney, Eccleshall, Chellaston or Kingstanding: a posh picnic (cucumber sandwiches extra) for a very reasonable price.

Bargain Stock

☼ Having seen them on eBay and on the Web, I popped over to Bargain Stock on Hockley Hill. Slightly disappointing in that they're out of stock on quite a lot of items (most of which won't be restocked) but the guy was very helpful in helping me find what I wanted.

He also showed me round the rest of the place, and apart from the usual electrical stuff he's got quite a large supply of early-years equipment, so your nursery or school should take a look!

Latif's

Among Brum's discount warehouses, Latif's is king. A great place for a browse. Ah, but. The car park's too small, and when it's full, your options are limited. Park on a single yellow line on a Sunday afternoon and you'll discover that that's not allowed in Brum, and parking enforcement officers are poised ready to strike. Park in one of the neighbouring carparks and you'll discover they're run by cowboys looking to cash in on their location.

This afternoon I took our daughter for a bit of shopping and decided to park in one of said carparks. We left the store just over the hour and just in time to see my car being towed away. £20-worth of shopping ended up costing £370.

So, Latif's, until you increase your carparking you're too dangerous to recommend.