srcg wake-up: Is it really grim up North?

When I was rewarded with the task of judging the finalists for the Retail Industry 'Independent Retailer of the Year' Awards I knew I was in for a significant amount of travelling. However, rather than simply drive everywhere I thought I would take the opportunity to let the train take the strain.

Not only would this reduce the burden on my overheating wallet, as I wouldn't have to fork out the GDP of a small developing country every time I wanted to fill up my car, it would also give me the opportunity to challenge the assertion made by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (The JAM's) in their 1991 hit single (look it up, they really are a band!) that it is 'Grim up North'; at least when it comes to grabbing a bite at a railway station! (It's never dull in my house I can tell you!)

Now let's get something straight before we start – I have no axe to grind. I'm Derby born and bred, but have lived in Surrey for the last 10 years. To further complicate things my parents are both from Kent, I have an ex girlfriend from Doncaster and once bought a dog from a bloke in Sunderland.

Now that I have excused any 'fence sitting' I can tell you about my recent travels, and as it happens my first two trips presented me with just the 'contrast and compare' opportunity I needed.

My first visit took me across London via the newly refurbished St Pancras station. Once you get over the sheer size and striking architecture you start to appreciate the broad range of Food For Now options. If you fancy a traditional sandwich there is a brand new M&S Simply Food, or maybe a freshly prepared artisan bread affair from Benugo, or if you are there for breakfast, a choice of 12 different types of yogurt / granola / fruit from Chop'd.

A little later in the day maybe you could go for a bite to eat at one of the many Continental café's (EuroStar now goes from St Pancras) or the huge Yo Sushi restaurant in the main concourse. You could even throw caution to the wind and quaff a little Dom Perignon at the longest champagne bar in Europe; if you're feeling flush that is!

The next day I was off to Sheffield, and discounting the obvious scale differential, I was again pleasantly surprised. The offer was a little more basic, but along with the obligatory M&S and WHSmith I encountered a Whistlestop, Café Ritazza and Upper Crust catering for 'Food For Now' customers, plus a traditional old fashioned boozer round the corner for the travelling imbiber.

Other trips followed, but the outcome was the same. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, cleanliness and timeliness of British Rail (or whoever it is these days) and less surprisingly I was reminded of the fantastic standards out there in Independent Convenience retailing.

But most of all I can categorically say that The JAM's hypothesis no longer holds water. If you travel by train the opportunity to be well catered for presents itself the length and breadth of the country.

St Pancras though does set a new benchmark and it is to be hoped that a rising tide will raise all ships, as it is clear that there is an appetite for the likes of Benugo and Chop'd in places even further north than Sheffield!