Thank you for your support!
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Cottage tales | 11 comments
Photo: Nicotiana blooming away unconcerned by dramas
I want to thank everyone who read and made a comment on my Twist wrench and grab post – and any other post too as we really appreciate your comments. I really value your support. Living such an isolated life it’s easy to get overwhelmed by a mini disaster. As you say, it wasn’t the loss of the money and the cash box that hurt. It was the breakdown of trust. Tamara pointed me in the direction of an inspirational post on Huntergathercook which is well worth a read and calmed me down considerably.
My mind is racing with all your ideas. The stand has not been up for the past two days whilst we lick our wounds and plan for the future. The cash box arrived and it’s not that strong but I do have an American mail box with chicken attachments (don’t ask) and this could make a fun cash box for the stand bolted to the stand and unlocked and opened when I bring the stock inside – I’d hate to lose it and if it’s clearly empty… I also loved the idea of the pipe that runs down to a secured cash box – brilliant.
I think that a sign stating that the stand is covered by CCTV could be a good deterrent. The stand is about 40 meters from the cottage, on the outside of the front fence. People have told me that they like it as they don’t feel embarrassed or obliged to buy as there is a fence between the stand and the cottage. I hate the Big Brother state so wouldn’t be dead keen on proper surveillance of the stand. But on the other hand, if I was a practiced thief I’d steal a jar to see whether the CCTV ‘worked’. So perhaps real CCTV is an option. We are already preparing our Christmas stock and I’d be gutted if that was nicked.
Personally I’d preferred that people put the money through the front door. They could choose in countrified peace and then have to walk up the drive. Sometimes people do this anyway.
As Clayearthcafe pointed out, growing up in a family who ran the village shop, people that they knew and liked even stole from them. And as Fizzyian noted – it’s not always the scruffs that nick. Up until now the main culprit for giving less money is a client that I worked for once (never, ever again. Even if they offered a million). Bizarrely something must ring a bell when she appears at the gate and I am on red alert and watching her from upstairs. She never leaves the right money but I reckon that if she likes the preserves she does leave more – sometimes even 5p short of the proper price! You can read about the decorating experience here it’s worth the read if you are self employed and work hard to please your clients and give good service – as you are generally deemed to be as good as your last job.
The pheasant dish that evolved from this upsetting foray is superb and unusual – great when you are getting really fed up with traditional pheasant dishes at the end of the season.
After my experience with The Beastleys, the bongo drums were beaten extremely hard and they shot to the top of every decent local tradesman’s Blacklist. Yes Blacklists do exist, as tradesmen are real gossips and supportive too!
We will continue with our gateside stand. Your encouragement has made us even more determined. Thank you for all your ideas they are canny, inventive and really appreciated!
Leave a reply
Radio Suffolk Thursday 26 August
“The James Hazell Show: Are honesty boxes a thing of the past? Do you still rely on someone to be honest when they pay for your roadside vegetables or when they use the telephone at your bed and breakfast? Perhaps you’ve had to resort to putting CCTV up to catch dishonest people? Either way we would to hear from you.”
Here’s the link if you’s like to listen or take part: http://www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/programmes
Celia
It’s good to hear you bouncing back, Fiona. Another thing occurred to me when I was offline after I’d read your post on the theft.
When my Mum and Dad’s shop was plagued by minor shoplifting by kids from the local school, Dad paid the school a visit and spoke to the headmaster. He couldn’t identify individuals, but he knew the uniform well and that was enough to make the headmaster lecture the assembley and promise to work with the police to catch any culprits.
Regarding blacklists of a sort, I was once told by a plumber that tradesmen were very discerning about which homes they would accept a cup of tea in, and that a quick look in your kitchen / loo determined how clean a house you kept, and hence whether they would chance it. For many years I took this at face value, but I have recently decided it was a ruse to be continually offered refreshment, on the basis that if it was accepted I would be flattered into repeating the offer and including biscuits…
Fiona, what a dreadful experience that was. Theft and breakdown of trust leave scars–I hope yours heal quickly.
Rae Mond, I suspect the blacklist is a verbal one, it is around here. I was told that the previous owner of my house couldn’t get local tradesmen to work on the house because she tended to refuse to pay some or all of the bill. Word got around!
Bad news. Sad people. “Don’t let the bastards grind you down”
Best wishes
Well I’m glad that you’re going to keep soldiering on with the stand. The pipe idea sounds like a good one- if it’s short enough to stick fingers in for retrieving stuck folding money!
Hi Fiona,
It is amazing how some people are so dishonest but I think I would prefer the face to face method
I think if people could put a face to the product tthen maybe honesty would follow, maybe bring the stand to the house and let them ring for service.
Dan x
Hi Fiona:
Sorry to see that happen to you. Have you thought about a mirror carefully placed and obvious and a sign saying “You are being watched!” Not exactly CCTV but possibly a good enough deterrant.
Philippa
New York City
Fn,I hate to pipe up with my boring office hat on, but I have become a bit of a Data Protection geek and even have dreams about the sodding Act.
Please don’t joke about blacklists. You were joking, obviously, as to actually have any sort of list like that would be unfair processing of personal data, which is very bad. Remember that construction thing? At that time the ICO only had the power to fine the guy responsible for operating the blacklist £5000. I say only. For him it was a trifling amount. For you it would be a lot.
Now the ICO has the power to fine up to £500,000 (not a type-o, genuinely half a million quid. thought obviously that level is reserved for mega serious breaches and companies what can afford it).
Also, still in DP geek mode, if you put up CCTV cameras that record you should notify with the ICO, which costs a whopping £35 a year, as it’s unlikely that the use would be covered by the domestic purposes exemption. Also you should make sure the cameras don’t havee sound recording capabilities, these are forbotten!
DP geek hat off now, back to being prematurely curmudgeonly.
String the little beggars from lamposts!
Hi,
I was absolutely appalled by your experience, it made me feel quite ill! Well done on your resolve to continue,I am sure you will have even more support locally and maybe more watchful eyes as well, maybe this will also pay off for the wider community.So this could be a blessing in disguise. (though it doesn’t feel like it at the moment).
An eternal optimist.