Why do asians tend to have a monopoly on convenience stores?

[Wembley67]

Serious question?????

[Killiehibbie]

Probably because they spotted the opportunity that longer opening hours presented at a time when you didn't get shops opening 14 hours a day 7 days a week.

[Wembley67]

Probably because they spotted the opportunity that longer opening hours presented at a time when you didn't get shops opening 14 hours a day 7 days a week.

Good enough for me :hnet:

[lapsedhibee]

Probably because they spotted the opportunity that longer opening hours presented at a time when you didn't get shops opening 14 hours a day 7 days a week.
I think as well as having spotted the opporchancity, Asian retailers may have been economically aided at that time by having free labour available in the shape of children returning from school who then worked in the shop. Obviously non-Asian shopkeepers would have had children who could have done this too, but I have a vague memory that this happened in the Asian community but not - or not to the same extent - in the non-Asian community. This was a long time back, so I may be remembering wrongly.

[hibsdaft]

i think you need to reconsider your use of the word monopoly.

if the individuals in question were acting together then it could be a monopoly, but seeing as they are in no way doing so then its actually the complete opposite of a monopoly.

as killiehibbie says its probably more the case that nobody else is/was willing to work harder, for longer, for that level financial return. if anyone wants to try they are at liberty to but i don't see many bothering.

a better question imo is why so many go into that line of work.

[khib70]

i think you need to reconsider your use of the word monopoly.

if the individuals in question were acting together then it could be a monopoly, but seeing as they are in no way doing so then its actually the complete opposite of a monopoly.

as killiehibbie says its probably more the case that nobody else is/was willing to work harder, for longer, for that level financial return. if anyone wants to try they are at liberty to but i don't see many bothering.

a better question imo is why so many go into that line of work.
:agree:It would only be a monopoly if there were no convenience stores at all owned by non-Asians.

The simple answer is that they invented them. Before the first Asian convenience stores, there weren't any to speak of. Newsagents opening for the morning and Sunday papers, a few all night chemists and that was your lot.

Indeed most shops not only closed on Sundays and at 5 o clock, but took a half day early closing too. The retail industry was run for the benefit of the producer, not the consumer and the convenience store was a major advance on this situation.

[Jack]

Stolen from elsewhere


Mass immigration in the 60's and 70's and Amin's expulsion of Ugandan Asians, who mostly came to the UK. They had nothing exept the clothes they wore and if they were lucky were able to get out with their savings. The brit grocer shop was in decline due to supermarkets, Asians bought them, stocked them and then did what no Brit would do, open from 6 in the morning until 10 at night 24/7.
They worked hard, paid taxes and made the business a family affair.


When supermarkets first arrived the native shopkeepers wrang thier hands and complained they couldn't compete and local shops closed in droves. However they did nothing to help themselves. I can remember a time when shops closed half day on a Wdenesday, when they didn't open till about 9.30 and closed at 5 pm. There prices were high and there was really no reason to go to them when supermarkets opened later and were cheaper. Enter the Asians who saw the gap in the market. That was selling basic foodstuff, coffee, sugar, salt butter, bread, all the sort of stuff your liable to run out of. What they did was to start opening late, they would be open till 9pm and they didn't close half day ion a Wednesday. They were local, if you ran out of sugar, cigarettes,m bread etc at 7pm all you needed to do was walk a short distance and there was a shop where you could buy it. In other word the Asian was a better buisnessman the the native shopkeeper. Even the layout was better. Before shops had a counter and everything was behind that counter, if you wanted something you had to ask. Asian shops went for a supermarket style layout where people could browes and pick up what they wanted, this then meant people would often buy thing they hadn't come in for as well


Say for arguments sake Mr. X needed to borrow £5,000. Rather than go to the bank he would go to a family head and ask for the money. This would then be considered and granted, usually on the premice that it's not going to be for boozing or gambling given the religion and what not. No interest would be charged however they would agree on a realistic period of how much to pay back and over how long. The chap would have his details put into a little book run by the family with details of what his skill and trade was. Whilst he was paying off that debt his 'interest' would be to do homers and jobs at cost to other family members people who were in the book associated to the families. Once his debt was square he would then remain in the book but would also be one of those who received homers and jobs carried out at cost by other people who were now borrowing.

That was the gist of it anyway, maybe a few holes in the description mind you. Don't know if it's common knowledge but it was quite intriguing all the same.

[Wembley67]

Thanks Jack.

It was a quick question, did't think of the wording that much to be honest :wink:

[IndieHibby]

I love hibs.net......

Ask a simple question, get detailed and informative answers. I learned more in the 5mins of reading this than in hours of 'discussion' elsewhere.

Cheers :aok:

[s.a.m]

I can remember the time in khib's and Jack's posts when local shops were far from convenient. Our local newsagent / grocer opened 8.30 - 5.00. with half days on Wed and Sat, and no opening on Sunday. Most local people commuted to work, and these hours were frankly useless. As the quote in Jack's post says, there were big objections to competition from supermarkets, and - sadly - a lot of these shopkeepers did go out of business. However, they weren't providing a service that was useful to the majority of their potential customers, and other people were willing to do that.

(You could add to that theme of recognising a gap in the market the Chinese and Indian take-aways who recognised that if folk couldn't be bothered cooking, they might also want someone to bring their tea to the house for them, and they thrived too.)

[khib70]

Stolen from elsewhere
All good stuff, and pretty much as I remember it.

I was told by several Asian people that another reason so many went into business for themselves, with the familial support you describe, was that it was very difficult for Asians to get employment beyond the menial, due to racial discrimination.

Certainly, in the years following the influx from Africa, this was certainly the case. There was a great deal of specifically anti-Asian racism around at the time. Much of it was of the type now directed at East Europeans - "taking our jobs" etc. There was also a persistent urban myth that Asians got reduced council tax, or total exemption, or that they got large public money grants to set up shops. All pash also, of course.

Much of what they had to put up with had been previously directed at the Jews, Irish, Italians, West Indians, and whoever the target of the day for the ignorant happened to be.

[steakbake]

Traditionally, many of those who left the subcontinent and elsewhere to make a life in the UK were from the merchant castes. However, there are many owners whose roots are from Pakistan or Bangladesh and I have no idea whether the caste system prevalent in India has the same effect there.

Given that many Asians arrived around the partition, I suspect that they too belonged to the merchant caste.

[Woody1985]

My granda always said that it was due to how hard they worked and the long hours that they were willing to do. They also open on xmas day! Bonus. :greengrin

An interesting thing is that the people who run the shop at mine on a day to day basis change quite frequently. It has been speculated in the past that there is some sort of financial gain to them by it changing hands so often. I've no idea if that is true or not but it has seemed strange that a shop will change hand every 3/4 months and has done as long as I can remember 15 years +. I believe that the shop still has the same owner though as you see him from time to time.

The drinks license periodically is taken away and a new owner comes in and it's restored a few weeks later/months later. Is the license given to the shop address, the people who run the shop or the owner?

Still, I don't complain when they sell drink before they're legally allowed out the back door. :greengrin

[Toaods]

As my old mate Napoleon once said:


"L'Angleterre est une Asian de boutiquiers" :wink:

[Ants]

How many of the people who run these stores are actually legal immigrants?

The stores close to me change hands/ownership at least twice a year... why?

They are replaced by another Asian, asked where the previous owner went the reply is "moved on"..... bit suspicious.

It is well known that many immigrants from the Chinese population arrive on "other" people passports, is this the same for the Asians?

After watching the Border Force program, it looks like Britain is the easy option for legal immigrants, who inturn manage to bring in others illegally.

If there is lots of money to be made legally from shops, why has all the previous British owners been replaced by the Asians?

[NAE NOOKIE]

Dunno why so many small stores are owned by Asians but good on em. All the small stores in Gala are owned by non Asians and shut around 9 or 10 pm. ASDA, TESCO and the all night garage notwithstanding.

On a pretty non related note. I left my wallet with about £100 and credit card etc in an Asian shop before the semi at The pink bus shelter a couple of years ago. When I went back the next day they had kept it for me and refused to take a reward.

Cheers folks.

[Pete]

A lot of these shops are shutting down because the families see other ways of making money which are a lot easier. It's great to see a shop open at six in the morning or ten at night to get things you want but the big boys are hurting them in the pocket.

My mates family had a city centre shop for years but they knew when to quit and have sold to a Polish family. They're into restaurants and property nowadays...and certain members have ways of making money that the family definately wouldn't be proud of.:rolleyes:

I think that the gradual "westernisation" of the younger Asian community will see the end of such shops...which is sad in a way. It takes a real work and family orientated ethic to run a shop in todays climate and with the younger generation changing I can only see them gradually dissapearing.

How long before Tesco or Asda have a shop on every corner?

[Toaods]

I think that the gradual "westernisation" of the younger Asian community will see the end of such shops...which is sad in a way. It takes a real work and family orientated ethic to run a shop in todays climate and with the younger generation changing I can only see them gradually dissapearing.

How long before Tesco or Asda have a shop on every corner?


I think there wil be no 'wee' shops in the not too distant future...they can't compete.....endof.

[Leicester Fan]

Coming originally from a predominatley asian part of Leicester I'd have to say that the comments about working longer hours is true. They also have the advantage of being able to speak the same language as their customers many of whom still can't speak English.

It seems now that there are lots of eastern Europeans and Turks taking over shops now.

[Dashing Bob S]

Coming originally from a predominatley asian part of Leicester I'd have to say that the comments about working longer hours is true. They also have the advantage of being able to speak the same language as their customers many of whom still can't speak English.

It seems now that there are lots of eastern Europeans and Turks taking over shops now.

I think it's healthy to see the Asian monopoly on convenience stores being challenged. It shows that capitalism is working.

[joe breezy]

How many of the people who run these stores are actually legal immigrants?

The stores close to me change hands/ownership at least twice a year... why?

They are replaced by another Asian, asked where the previous owner went the reply is "moved on"..... bit suspicious.

It is well known that many immigrants from the Chinese population arrive on "other" people passports, is this the same for the Asians?

After watching the Border Force program, it looks like Britain is the easy option for legal immigrants, who inturn manage to bring in others illegally.

If there is lots of money to be made legally from shops, why has all the previous British owners been replaced by the Asians?

Ah Nick Griffin, welcome to hibs.net

I thought you may have felt more at home on keeckback or follow follow but welcome nonethless

[iwasthere1972]

Well I know for a fact that Pakistan and India are not allowed to enter the World Cup due to the fact that if they were awarded a corner they would build a shop on it. :devil:

[Mellow Hibee]

A lot of these shops are shutting down because the families see other ways of making money which are a lot easier. It's great to see a shop open at six in the morning or ten at night to get things you want but the big boys are hurting them in the pocket.

My mates family had a city centre shop for years but they knew when to quit and have sold to a Polish family. They're into restaurants and property nowadays...and certain members have ways of making money that the family definately wouldn't be proud of.:rolleyes:

I think that the gradual "westernisation" of the younger Asian community will see the end of such shops...which is sad in a way. It takes a real work and family orientated ethic to run a shop in todays climate and with the younger generation changing I can only see them gradually dissapearing.

How long before Tesco or Asda have a shop on every corner?

Know this guy, big Arsenal fan. The new Polish owners are very cool too.

[Ed De Gramo]

Much prefer Tescos, Asda, Morrisons etc....they dinnae rip you off :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[CropleyWasGod]

Wait until the 'PC Brigade' read that :faf:

I could add a few myself, but there's a time and a place for that sort of 'banter' :devil:

Which is?

[iwasthere1972]

Wait until the 'PC Brigade' read that :faf:

I could add a few myself, but there's a time and a place for that sort of 'banter' :devil:

Please feel free.

I can assure you that there will not be any backlash. :fibber:

[lEXO]

How many of the people who run these stores are actually legal immigrants?

The stores close to me change hands/ownership at least twice a year... why?

They are replaced by another Asian, asked where the previous owner went the reply is "moved on"..... bit suspicious.

It is well known that many immigrants from the Chinese population arrive on "other" people passports, is this the same for the Asians?

After watching the Border Force program, it looks like Britain is the easy option for legal immigrants, who inturn manage to bring in others illegally.

If there is lots of money to be made legally from shops, why has all the previous British owners been replaced by the Asians?
Most of the shops that have been my local shops are nothing like you describe.They have been run by the same people for years, and have become part of the community.The vast majority of the younger ones who have taken over these family businesses speak with an Edinburgh accent as broad as mine.That is down to the fact they were born and educated here, and are following their parents by being hard working.
My most recent corner shop has recently changed hands, this is down to the previous owner having health issues.His mate now runs it as his sons did,nt want to do it.They work from 7am till 9pm and are lovely people.This must take a lot out of you after a length of time, so maybe that has something to do with businesses changing hands.
Scotland has a huge asian community and they have contributed a lot to our communities and culture over the last 40 odd years, and maybe if you had thought for a minute, or done some research other than UK Border Force you would,nt have posted the nonsense you have.
:rolleyes:

[Toaods]

Most of the shops that have been my local shops are nothing like you describe.They have been run by the same people for years, and have become part of the community.The vast majority of the younger ones who have taken over these family businesses speak with an Edinburgh accent as broad as mine.That is down to the fact they were born and educated here, and are following their parents by being hard working.
My most recent corner shop has recently changed hands, this is down to the previous owner having health issues.His mate now runs it as his sons did,nt want to do it.They work from 7am till 9pm and are lovely people.This must take a lot out of you after a length of time, so maybe that has something to do with businesses changing hands.
Scotland has a huge asian community and they have contributed a lot to our communities and culture over the last 40 odd years, and maybe if you had thought for a minute, or done some research other than UK Border Force you would,nt have posted the nonsense you have.
:rolleyes:


:agree: ..think we're SINGH-ing from the same songsheet...:wink:

[Pretty Boy]

:agree: ..think we're SINGH-ing from the same songsheet...:wink:

I only come on this board to SIKH an answer to the problems facing society.:wink:

[lEXO]

:agree: ..think we're SINGH-ing from the same songsheet...:wink: :faf:


I only come on this board to SIKH an answer to the problems facing society.:wink:
:faf: