Countrystore - Cookham Rise reviews

Review added 23/04/2020 21:02 by Graham

Well done to Steve Watson and the whole team.He asked me to
get a message to an elderly resident who he hadn't seen for
some time,and wondered he was ok,and if he needed anything
to contact the shop and they would deliver for him and his
wife.What a kind gesture.Well done Countrystore.

Review added 19/08/2018 14:54 by Glyn Barrett

Always very helpful and have a good selection of quality products.

Review added 07/05/2018 16:32 by Resident

Live local and would be lost without this shop.
Open way later than other shops in the area and always have what I need.

Plus there is a super hot blonde polish girl who works there too

Review added 02/03/2018 19:56 by anon

In reply to ANON about the service from the staff and their supposedly unhappy faces, I have always found them pleasant and quite smiley. This store is an assest to our community, the staff made it in to work despite the weather and we got our papers delivered on time so good for them. Well done Country Store

Review added 04/01/2017 23:36 by anon

I regularly use this store but not anymore! I got treated like a criminal today for having the audacity of wanting to choose a packet of cigarettes....still a perfectly legal habit last time I checked and while the ridiculous law means that every shop now has to hide the packets from general view, at 37yrs old I am livid I was made to play 'Give us a clue' or use my telepathic powers to find out what was behind the magic doors!! I asked the service lady several times and she just kept telling me that if I tell her a brand then she'll tell me if she's got them....what the hell???? But just so you know....it's ok for all and sundry to see the array of alcohol they sell, arguably much worse on society and health. I always prefer to support local business' but sadly this is crossed off the list.

Review added 29/08/2015 18:42 by Robert

Mark, what you write might be true but my assumption that it was a women was based on two things.

1)How often do you seen a man carrying a dog?

2)I don't have a dog but during my 30 years in Cookham I've stroked hundreds of them and the large majority of those dogs have been owned or walked by women.

P.S. I clicked one star because this is a reply not a review.

Review added 27/08/2015 09:26 by Robert Harris

I'm amazed that Anon (whoever she is) complains about having to carry her dog in the shop. It's a FOOD SHOP, she should never be allowed to take it into the shop.

Doesn't she know that all sensible dog owners leave their dogs outside for me to stroke.

Review added 19/06/2014 08:53 by Sally M

I am not a real football fan, but well done for the decor, it gets one into the spirit of the world cup. I will be watching the England games. We are very lucky in Cookham to have such as store as this one. You can get almost anything. Well done, keep up the good work that you all do.

Review added 19/05/2014 16:27 by Her upstairs

Thanks for the extended gluten-free range, very handy. This little shop is an Aladdins Cave of stock lines ranging from budget to luxury: they have a better stock range than the Shifford Co-op, despite the latter's larger size. For the life of me I cannot understand the mentality of people who complain about this great little shop. In 8 years of shopping there I have never met a rude or aggressive member of staff, they are hard-working and never let queues build up. Can only assume the aggression comes from the customer as I usually get a smile or greeting of some kind. Countrystore is what is keeping Tesco out of Cookham, so keep up the good work.

Review added 13/03/2014 15:12 by Coffeeman

WHERE OH WHERE HAS THE USUAL LADY GONE?

Review added 21/02/2014 08:46 by Mary

I agree with Jenny, I have never had any problems with this store. The staff are very hard working, they are only too willing to help, and communication is not a problem. Most of them have a cheery word to say, but if the customer is sullen and rude I do not blame them not smiling.I am fed up with negative comments about this store.

Review added 20/02/2014 19:41 by anon

1: a dirty shop
2: very expensive
3: only 1english speaking staff member
4: only 1 staff member with a smile (same lady as above)
5: impossible to navigate with a pushchair due to stands
6: impossible to get in the in door or out the out door
7: impossible to park outside due to shop vans
8: need I say more?
9: my custom..... Elsewhere. Where I feel welcome!!!

Review added 16/12/2013 21:22 by anon

Bah humbug, where is Christmas in this shop, or does it not venture into this hallowed site?

Review added 25/09/2013 11:28 by newposter

I cannot understand some of the reviews about Countrystore. It is a great shop and I am amazed at the range of items sold. We would be lost without it as it is easy to get used to having so much choice on tap - this is very unusual in a local store. I have never found the staff to be anything other than polite and helpful. They deserve a big well done not carping.

Review added 22/09/2013 13:07 by Monty

There is nothing wrong with Countrystore. Staff are fine food and presentation good. Have just been to new Co-op not impressed. The ailes are too narrow and when I asked for Brillo pads was told they didn't stock it. It does not give a great confidence to shop there.

Review added 22/09/2013 08:58 by English

Is there ever much English spoken in here? Even tall blonde superviser" speaks polish,what a good example she is. If you are in an English speaking environment then surly that's what you should do. Or be made to do. As a customer it makes me feel very uncomfortable. Also why on earth do they park their vans outside the shop all the time? Is the management team really that arrogant to think they own the highway. Extreemly annoying and inconvenient for customers. This shop needs an overhaul like co-op, all speak English,easy parking,clean,no arrogant management, better prices too.

Review added 07/09/2013 13:00 by A customer

Great staff, great shop, great binmen locally...RUBBISH MANAGERS - especially the lanky man who - fortunately - I don't see very often

Review added 17/07/2013 22:03 by Mary Hawkins

Your description of Countrystore is so unlike mine. Yes there are always lots of people there because it is popular. Lovely fresh veg, good value and lots of choice. We are so lucky having somewhere like Countrystore, compared with so many villages who have lost all their shops.

Review added 16/07/2013 10:14 by CF

I am Local too ..and I love this shop . staff are really good.. amazing choices .

Review added 14/07/2013 22:10 by Hot hot hot!

Just moved here but probably will not bother with this shop again. Wondered if any staff there smiles,speak english,or if any english even work there. Made to feel uncomfortable by staff speaking their own jibberish. Not nice at all

Review added 08/05/2013 13:47 by Acustomer

I am in NO doubt that,as it's a bad one, this review will magically vanish. Very bad atmosphere in this otherwise good shop. Staff seem very unmotivated and unloved. Except the two Polish boys who seem jioned at the hip and cannot talk any english it seems.I have heard alot about this shop and the treatment of the staff by DA MANAGEMENT, and this just shows that bad treatment ends in a bad atmosphere. Sort it out Countrystores treat your staff better and apprieciate them.

Review added 16/04/2013 14:43 by Vera P

One thing I would like to know is. Do the managers and owners know just how UN happy the staff are?

Review added 12/02/2013 12:18 by anon

I've been using Countrystore for the best part of 2 years and really have nothing but praise for the staff. It's a small, busy store, but I like this. The alternative is a larger Tesco's etc, and who really wants that in Cookham?

I've read the negative comments about the staff - I personally don't have this experience; the staff have always been courteous and polite. Your shopping is bagged up without question and this is a nice touch.(Space is limited so its probably a necessity too)

I would have given 5 stars, but sometimes a whole basket full of shopping is loaded into one carrier bag. I've known a loaf of bread to be reduced to the size of melba toast...but it's a very small gripe.

Review added 17/01/2013 21:29 by Me.

Never had a problem in Countrystore,, staff are chatty and their bacon butties are yummy...
To the last reviewer,,, name me a shop throughout the whole of Cookham where you can get a ''double'' buggy around???

Review added 03/01/2013 16:10 by Cat

A BIG 'thank you' to the Countrystore for being open all over the Christmas and New Year season. And with a cheerful smile too!
Always well stocked and will do their best to order in items if asked.
Well done all.

Review added 02/01/2013 15:14 by Bobby G.

I went to buy milk today and the atmosphere was enough to sour my milk.who the hell is little misery guts there?till girls are lovely and always ready with a smile and a happy new year.little misery just pouted her way around the shop avoiding everything and everyone.dont think i have ever seen this girl smile,(superviser). Dear me.

Review added 31/12/2012 12:03 by Robert Harris

Peter Davies, get your facts right. It's the staff member at the far lefthand till who rings the bell for more people to man the tills and reduce queues. In fact that is a great feature of the Countrystore because however long a queue is it only takes a matter of minutes to get to a till.

I have been using the Countrystore since it opened, it has improved enormously since then and is constantly increasing it's range of products. The staff are friendly and helpful, smile and the world smiles with you.

My only niggle is the credit card readers, they're not fixed to anything so can be awkward to use. Thus the loss of half a star.

Review added 24/12/2012 09:29 by Mary

I agree with the last review. I have never had a problem with the store. I find the staff quite friendly, but the customers should also be friendly towards them otherwise if they are frosty why should the staff be over pleasant. Come on you moaners, there are worse things going on in life get things into perspective.

Review added 15/12/2012 17:32 by Peter Davies

Can i just mention that these poor staff members work for very very hard minimum wage, with awfull treatment from the management team. Its a very 'them and us' atmosphere in the store. When theres a queue 'managment' seem keen to call for the other staff members to stop what they are doing and work the tills,its obvious it would be quicker to do it themselves. So if anyone wants or needs to point a finger then they need to start at the top. Even the owner walks through the shop and can barely raise a smile let alone have a polite word towards anyone. Wonder what these poor buggers get as a xmas box from their employer???

Review added 10/12/2012 14:58 by Bluray

Brilliant shop,but.....tall,blonde girl on bakery needs to smile and learn some decent manners and customer service.very rude. Same with two polish young boys,manners?? New manager?? Miserable too. Just basic customer care really,not nice being ignored when,clearly,i am waiting to be served.

Review added 07/11/2012 22:23 by Devlin

Tried to speak to a man who looked like the manager, he grunted and then looked at me like I was something on the bottom of his shoe.
Obviously I took offence at this, I calmly asked for his name and he simply said 'no' and walked off.

I then asked another member of staff what guy's name was, he told me he was the big boss and he wall called Yan.

I won't be returning, it's a shame as the shop seemed good and the staff were great, however very plot attitude of management.

Review added 06/10/2012 23:21 by Mrjay

TO MANY STANDS OF SWEETS ETC,AND TO MANY TROLLIES FULL OF NEW STOCK. JUST CANNOT MOVE IN THIS SHOP,NOT PUSHCHAIR OR WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY AT ALL.ITS ALSO VERY GRUBBY.GOOD SHOP AND NICE STAFF BUT COULD DO SO MUCH BETTER

Review added 17/09/2012 13:54 by Flowerpower

The staff are not allowed to pause for thought in this shop, they are always on the go filling up shelves,and yes, cigarettes. I did not mean to tar them all with the same brush. That particular member of staff is very nice and polite...maybe a few others could take a leaf out of his book. He has no problem with serving customers instead of shouting for someone else to do it and SMILE!

Review added 16/09/2012 09:21 by Flowerpower

I still cannot get over the lack of smiles from the management team. They alawys look so glum, if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen. Ring the bell, one girl shouts from an open doorway, why bring someone from afar when she can see there are customers waiting so would be easy for her to just get on with it herself? A manager should never ask a member of staff to do anything they wouldn't do themselves. Even the owner is aloof when in the shop.

Review added 13/07/2012 22:24 by Alex The Cat

May sound bad, but shop seems to have been one manager short for ages, so that must mean a lot of extra work is falling on the one left. Seems similar to what's going on in a couple of other shops I've been in, in a couple of towns, where one or two people are stressed and moaning, because there are half the number of staff there usually are, and the ones left are trying their best, but can't do everything. Blame the people who cut down on the staff - or maybe the recession, but don't blame the workers for being human!

Review added 07/07/2012 13:03 by Jackie

Whilst I would not do a big shop in Countrystores I am always popping in and out for bits and pieces, it is great to have a shop that stocks most things on your doorstep and is always open! I have always found the staff really friendly and helpful and you never have to wait long at the tills.

Review added 15/06/2012 00:21 by RL honesty

The customers are worse than the staff,..
Unbelievable how cold the customers are inside.

Its the sort of elitist mentality that I would come to expect reading some of your posts.

You think service is when they scan in food and show you where things are with a smile but its a lot more than that.

A hand full of these staff (minimum wage, less than tesco) everyday looking after the whole store, some of them for 12 hours with only 1 break waking up at 5 to get to work or finishing at 10 at night.

They date check all the food, Do deliveries, on call for tills, on bakery, doing the morning papers, keeping the place tidy and keeping the stock tidy in the back,.. that's 4 staff,... compared to the crappy customer services you get from better paid tesco's employees that get to sit down on shift from time to time and have more than 10 staff in the same sized store working better regulated hours.

It's remarkable that some of you are complaining about trival stuff that really doesn't matter,... like the fact you had to ask for receipt or that you didn't get the correct change, or the fact that someone bagged the food not quite the exact way you wanted it when you could have just bagged it yourself or told them how you wanted it before hand to save any problems arising?

I have never seen regular every day customers treat staff the way they do in there.

I'm sure that you all know they have to bend over backwards to give good customer services because the prices are high and you think that it gives you the right to be so critical over the smallest of things,.. and I'm sure it gives you a great feeling knowing that if your in a queue of people a bell gets pressed and members of staff have to stop what their doing to run over to your beck and call,.. BUT THAT'S JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Also I'd like to point out that if you missed your train,.. that's sort of your fault,... you didn't leave in enough time,.. its no ones fault but your own.

As for the fact that the staff don't speak english,.. yes their are some staff there that didn't speak it very well but that's just what happens if you have a problem with that then maybe you should go talk to your local MP about the immigration policy as I don't think that really applies here.

Let me also answer some posts:

GreyFox you answered in all caps,.. I know you think your very important and you and your money is worth everyone stopping and kneeling before you but there may have been other staff you could have asked or maybe you should work on your "excuse me can you help" instead of " wheres the" ,.. its not that big a deal.

Robert M,... define moody thug because,....

"Robert M, yeah he's a moody blogger thug, not blogging on the same sites tomorrow, But will offer no details to explain why I believe he's a moody thug blogger"

Also I'm not sure what's wrong with saying hello by saying Yo, especially to someone that is clearly a regular customer , The staff are encouraged to be friendly with the regular customers so the fact that he is comfortable to be like that with you is surely a plus,.. Unless you would prefer "your royal highness"

I agree with anon about the swearing,.. although I want proof that that actually happened. Also I understand that there are bad staff their and some staff are hard to talk with but that maybe because they want to get queues down or they have alot of work to get done.

All in all I would definatly say that the staff are alot better than what the regular customers believe they are
and its due to short sighted self righteous "I'll only blogg about them if they where bad" people that believe they know better, makes them look incompetent when in actual fact they could do alot worse.

Regards
Real Life Honesty

Review added 01/06/2012 15:30 by anon

Love the shop - just wish they'd be a bit more respectful that I am actually paying good money for the products they stuff heavy handedly into my bag. I pay for non-squashed goods - and yet once packed 'firmly squashed' would be a better description.

Review added 14/05/2012 14:06 by Sally Wild

So last reviewer would get in a car to drive all the way to the over priced Co-op...Utter madness.
How many villages the size of Cookham would adore to have a store - with-more. We are so lucky. There it is, open all hours, right by the station for handy purchases on the way home from work. Perhaps last reviewer is a miserable unsmiling git who doesn't get a good response because of it? Just a thought.

Review added 06/05/2012 15:47 by James

I am honestly so grateful for this shop!

The staff are extremely nice, and the shop has anything you would ever need!

Review added 04/05/2012 15:14 by Lynda

Where would Cookham be without this store. Open every day of the year (including Xmas Day) and until really late each day. Imagine it not being there....you'd moan then.

Review added 12/04/2012 09:44 by anon

i have lived in cookham for two weeks now and after my first and second impression of this shop, my neighbour recomended this page.

yesterday i went in to this store to be pushed passed by a staff member who was shouting about being 'hormonal'. i got my shopping and went to the ckeakout. there was a small que and after hearing a bell ring a few times, no one was coming.
i had hot food and wanted to hurry up out and eat it. never mind being hormonal, i was hungry and busy!

the first time i visted the store, the same lady was also very rude. i tried making small talk with her only to get snappy answers and moaning back.

is she always like this or is it just the two times i was in there?

Review added 10/04/2012 21:48 by Graham

The 'im to cool to serve' is still happening in this shop as does the 'im not going to smile'rule and the'im going to stand and have a long conversation while i make others wait to be served'(i actually missed my train the other day) rule. There are so many people looking for jobs at present so one has to wonder how and why certain people keep theirs. Some staff look so miserable especially one certain lady who works middle of the day who would prefer to moan than serve customers. When i worked in a shop we had to stand for hours and put up with it as moaning would get us removed and replaced.

Review added 08/04/2012 11:44 by Melissa

Good staff except one (old white guy, glasses) - have overheard he seems to think he's the only one who shouldn't have to serve on till 1 (whatever that means?) - even if it means other staff have to be left standing for hours. Surely backache, leg ache and other forms of discomfort from standing for hours and hours when the people in charge can't be bothered to move staff around and some people won't let anyone move around unless ordered to directly!

Review added 14/02/2012 20:02 by robert m

popped in today at luch time, moody thug behind the till, driving to co-op tommorrow.

Review added 10/02/2012 16:57 by laura cheok

efficient, friendly staff...........ah but wait there is one who rules the roost, foul mouthed, and continually hung over etc..... Never greets it's YO ( to an 80+ old lady, YO).I overheared this young man explain to a customer "i Dont do SIR OR MAM" I can't understand WHY he remains at this store. The rest of the staff are lovely and well mannered.The store is well stocked with a great range of products.

Review added 17/09/2011 11:03 by Christine Jannetta

Fantastic little (although a tardis inside) local community store with friendly and efficient staff!

Review added 07/05/2011 20:44 by Annoyed

Im sick of going into what i call mini poland. Does anyone speak english in this shop?how do we know if they are talking about us or not.its just rude and should be stopped by the powers that be. They choose to ive here they should speak english and have some respect. Iv also been kepy waiting by a lady at the till talking about her earache.....i dont care i just want my milk so serve me....and stop pulling those awful faces. Alsoi overheard a male member of staff stating that as it was his birthday.....royal wedding day......that he had taken drugs on his break. Hardly an advert for the shop. Maybe i might think twice nexrt time

Review added 03/05/2010 21:57 by anon

Countrystore this is a great shop and the women in the bakery work very hard with limited help from management no coffee machine for weeks and the ladies are helpful and will always do their best to please.

Review added 03/06/2009 07:20 by anon

WHY ARE YOU WRITING ABOUT A SHOP THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RESTAURANT REVIEWS??? THERE'S A FORUM PAGE FOR THIS!!

Review added 02/06/2009 13:10 by JO

OMG, no reciept.... thats your problem, than ask for that, or go somewhere else to do your shoping.

Review added 30/05/2009 22:40 by Her upstairs

I don't understand the hoo-haa about receipts, I shop there 2 or 3 times a week and am always offered a receipt, perhaps because of the comments on this site? Anyway, if the management at Countrystore do read these comments I would like to say that your shop is always immaculate, with pleasant and polite staff; it's always well stocked and as a previous reviewer pointed out, actually the staff do magically appear at the till as soon as there are anymore than 3 people in the queue, so top marks. And I hope its a goldmine for you, because obviously a lot of thought goes into the wide price range of stock/long opening hours/overabundance of staff. I would be very sorry to lose our local shop, as Wooburn Green has done, and end up living in Tescoland.

Review added 20/02/2009 21:04 by Her upstairs

I agree with the previous reviewer. The store is always clean, tidy, well stocked and with helpful staff, its great how they keep an eye on the queue. They manage to stock a very wide range with some higher range items that you would normally expect to go to Waitrose for. My only complaint is the silly bints who abandon their Chelsea Tractors outside taking up two spaces and at a jaunty angle to the kerb. There are three spaces you know, park like a human please.

Review added 05/12/2008 17:09 by Not James Hatch!

If you take advantage of the 3 for £10 wine offer make sure you get a receipt and check it afterwards because at the moment the till might overcharge you by £4.28 as it did for me.
It's about time they gave every customer a receipt. They used to insist on it.