SERVICE: Online can’t compare

On Good Friday, my elderly mum’s TV broke down. It has a repair warranty, but being Easter weekend it wasn’t possible to contact the shop in Newcastle that sold the set until the following day to set about arranging an engineer.

On a whim, I called Penroses on Saturday morning to see if it had anything immediately available as an alternative, and if so whether it could possibly deliver it?

I was delighted to be told that it had several fairly basic, but perfectly watchable refurbished TVs available for loan, and yes, it could deliver one that day. It duly did within four hours of my call.

It doesn’t get any better than that, especially as I live in Teesdale and this was all done on the phone at arm’s length.

Nowadays, we keep hearing how the high street is suffering competition from big retail parks and online sources, etc. What none of these places can provide is excellent personal service to this standard.

Long may it continue.

Richard Laidler,

Hutton Magna