It's no miracle - Tesco rescues Cumbria's Xmas
A couple of days ago we blogged the public sector's poor record at eliminating waste, and not for the first time, compared it unfavourably with Tesco. Judging from some of your comments not everyone buys the comparison. In fact, it seems some of you reckon Tyler has become a blind Tesco worshipper.
So we thought you'd be interested in the above vid. It shows how Tesco rode to the rescue of those poor Cumbrians who got hit by the floods last winter.
A collapsed bridge meant that thousands of people were cut off from their regular Tesco store in Workington and faced a detour of 40 miles to get their shopping. So Tesco simply built a new one - a new 13,000 square feet store built from scratch on a brownfield site and operating in just 13 days. Not rain, nor wind, nor local planners could stand in their way - they just got on and did it. Watch the vid and clock the happy customers.
Now - hand on heart - can anyone honestly say the public sector would ever be capable of such a feat? Yes, OK, in May 1940, with the hun at the door, maybe. But that aside, the public sector hardly ever brings its investment projects in on the original schedule, and history says that 90% of public projects blow their original budgets (eg see this blog).
Say what? Retailing is a much simpler business than running a school or a hospital?
Hmm. Maybe. But it's very interesting that Tesco and other large employers have to run remedial classes in the 3Rs for employees failed by our marvellous state education factories.
Anyway, Tesco is just our shorthand for the power of the market. Nobody is literally suggesting Tesco is going to take over our hospitals. But BUPA and the like could. And having personally sampled both NHS and private hospitals, Tyler is very sure which he prefers.
Off out now, but we'll return to this fascinating question when we have a bit more time.
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