On your marks

We now have an Aldi at my nearest shopping centre. This is, apparently, a big development. Walking past the shop as it was being fitted out I heard excited chatter from people nearby - people who couldn't wait for the chance to buy cheaper versions of products, branded as close as you can get to the well known alternative without getting sued.

The actual opening has gone ahead without major fuss or trouble, which is a blessing after what nobody else is calling Kremegeddon.

A couple of years back Krispy Kreme opened their first shop/drive through in Edinburgh, causing people to completely lose their minds.

It was nuts. People waited in a massive queue for several hours the first day just to be one of the first to buy a box of donuts that ate slightly better than you can get for half the price in Greggs. The bypass was clogged up by people queuing to get off so they could join that queue. Madness. It took weeks to settle down.

Aldi seems perfectly okay - a bit like shopping when you are on holiday because you don't recognise any of the brands, or have a clue if they are any good. I don't think this will change anyone's life.