On 09/07/2015 21:54, Bob Eager wrote:
....
Did you ever go to Foyles in Charing Cross Road up to a few years ago?
That was run in the same sort of way.

They paid their junior staff peanuts, and on one occasion they had a
meeting to discuss unionisation. They weren't allowed to have it on the
premises so they went somewhere else. Management photographed everyone
who attended. Staff never lasted more than six months.

Because of all this, they never trusted the staff. So, to buy a book:

1) Browse shelves and choose book. In the technical aisles this wasn't
always easy due to the Byzantine 'organisation'.

It did, however, sometimes result in finding a fascinating book that you
would never have actually looked for.

2) Take book to assistant.
3) Assistant writes out a 'chit' stating the amount due.
4) Take chit to cashier at other end of the floor, and pay (cashiers were
scarce but presumably a bit more trusted).

They were probably locked inside the cubicle.

5) Take stamped chit back to assistant and collect book.


--
Colin Bignell