It does not take me to speak up for Lidl. This huge German company, with more stores in the UK than Wal-Mart's ASDA is quite capable of letting the locals know about their various offers, specials and sales. I get leaflets from them dumped through my letterbox regularly. They put up signs claiming their fresh meat and poultry are up to 40% cheaper in very clear signs on the shopfront. What they do not ever tell us is - cheaper than where? Terry's? Al-Balal Halal Meat?

Recently the 40% figure was applied to their gammon and bacon. These kind of slick tricks are par for the course with all the big chains, so I do not particularly feel aggrieved by their come-ons. Just treat them like you would any of the big chains, but remember to take your own plastic bags, as they charge for them here. And take a book, as the checkout lines can be long and slow.

The shop is, nevertheless, worth a look even if you think you know what to expect in a supermarket or think you aren't going to buy anything. (Be warned - they are not necessarily as much cheaper than ASDA or Sainsbury's as the stack 'em high lay out suggests) They do have some brands you don't see in other British supermarkets which might be worth trying out for a change; cereals by Bellona, Crown Field, Bixies, Little Men and Goody. They also sell some quite authentic continental cuisine, including Quark on occasion, Frankfurters, tinned fish in sauces, booze, mustard in toothpaste-tubes and lots of different kinds of biscuits and chocolates.

The real interest for me here, however, are not the foodie treats, but the strange selection of impulse items that some eccentric buyer in Deutschland thinks are going to tempt us here in Walthamstow High Street. They once stocked the aisles with horse blankets, jodhpurs and riding crops. At another time they thought we might all like to go skiing. Before Christmas the list of essential items included the Big Road Atlas of France, US Mail Country Lifestyle Mailboxes, CD Shredders, flat rugby balls made in Germany, Pet Blankets, Aquarium Claw Arms, and artificial bushes for those who have overdone it with the hedgetrimmers. The latter could be found,as one would expect, somewhere between the slippers and the running tops.

Come the spring, and we are ready for bigger projects: in the same aisle as the Disney alarm clocks for children we can purchase a 'Grizzly Gartengeraete' 2200 Watt chainsaw with a comfortable fell grip for horizontal and vertical work. This has a three year warranty and retails at ₤44.99.