I have just sent the following, as an email, to David Potts (pictured below), CEO of Morrison's Supermarkets.
Problem at Todmorden store...
Dear Mr Potts,
Despite your company's flagrant disregard, in its branding, for the correct use of the apostrophe, I am, neverthless, a loyal customer of your Morrison's (I insist on the punctuation) supermarket in Todmorden.
And, for that reason, I feel certain you'd wish to be informed of a worrying new phenomenon at the store which only compounds the many indignities of the Coronavirus clampdown.
It is this: on every visit I've made to the store in the last fortnight I have had to plod the aisles, - after positive vetting by Security - following the prescribed route, and keeping other customers at arm's length (a sensible precaution in Todmorden even under normal circumstances) to the accompaniment of the shrill vocal contortions of Ms Whitney Houston, insisting "I Wanna Dance With Somebody."
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a music man through and through. But Morrison's, Todmorden - if it must have background music - needs to expand its repertoire beyond this one example of Ms Houston's glossy, optimistic froth.
The inevitability of the appearance of this glib and brittle "dance smash", whenever I am shopping, is becoming intolerable and, pretty soon, I'm afraid it may force me into the arms of the Co Op in Hebden Bridge, or our local Lidl, which does not bombard its customers with gormless over familiar Hits Of The 80s. (Speaking of Lidl, have you ever considered, at Morrison's, shelving the tinned peas among the lawnmowers and ladies' socks?)
I am sure you would not wish to drive away loyal customers. So, may I now have your reassurance, Mr Potts, that Ms Houston's constant and strident expression of desire to execute the Foxtrot or the Military Two Step ("with somebody") will, henceforth, be banished from your Todmorden store?
Many thanks.
All best wishes,
Andy Kershaw