22/05/2026
I was walking past the seafood aisle in the massive out-of-town supermarket this morning and looking at the rows of identical, factory-sealed plastic trays filled with gas just made my heart sink. It brought back a vivid memory of the incredible atmosphere of the traditional wet fish stall in our local market. There was a time when buying your supper meant interacting with a proper fishmonger who had been at the docks since dawn. He knew exactly what was fresh, offered brilliant advice on how to cook it, and handed over your purchase wrapped tightly in paper with a loud laugh and a brilliant bit of local banter. It was an honest, vibrant exchange that made you feel truly alive.
Nowadays, the giant retail corporations have completely sanitized the way we buy our food, expecting us to quietly scan a digital barcode on a piece of single-use plastic and walk out without speaking to a single human soul in 2026. The corporate managers argue that this clinical model is far superior because it extends shelf life and removes the messy, physical reality of preparing food. But traditionalists know that when you disconnect a community from the hardworking men and women who source our food, you lose your respect for the sea and the trades that built this country. A barcode can never give you a recipe or share a joke on a cold Friday morning.
Do you still value the character and the unparalleled freshness of buying from a proper, independent local fishmonger. I want to know if you think we have lost the joy of traditional shopping to these massive corporate warehouses.
👍 Drop a YES if you support traditional fishmongers and local markets.
❤️ Drop a NO if you prefer the convenience of plastic supermarket trays.
Yes or No? 🇬🇧
