A Love Letter to Shoprite’s Hot Food Counter

This weekend will see the Victoria Road Shoprite close its doors for the final time before converting into Tesco.

Naturally, this is a time of mixed emotion for islanders, sadness over the loss of a local brand, excitement over the potential for cheaper, more varied produce, a moment of reflection for staff.

But lost amongst all this is the departure of something that has been part of Manx life for longer than I care to remember, rotisserie chicken, hot pasties and ready made breakfast baps or chicken and bacon burgers being available within touching distance of a yellow sticker fridge.

Not only that, there are hot ready meals, meat baps, teas and coffees, the deli counter has always been a bit of gem to those who knew of it and a crying shame for those who didn’t.

No matter what time of day, there was something for you. Fancy a sausage and bacon bap to start the day? Sorted. A chicken burger for lunch? Sorted. A whole rotisserie chicken, still warm and ready to carve for tea? Sorted.

I feared this love was mine and mine alone, the misspent lunchtime of a fat man who eats too much chicken, but as the store’s closure approaches, I have found kindred spirts.

For now, we’re leading a delegation to buy lunch there this very lunchtime, but in doing so, we leave you with the words of someone who loves Chicken Maryland more than she loves being the face of Energy FM,

Charlie Morrey – She supplied this pic herself

Charlie Morrey: ‘When the news broke that Tesco would be taking over our beloved Shoprite, my heart sank. For many reasons, but the overwhelming feeling of dread was rooted in the potential loss of the Chicken Maryland.

‘To many others that breaded chicken breast is just that. But to me, it is my childhood.  Every morning, at approximately 8:30am before heading to Ramsey Grammar School, I would go to the gourmet galore deli counter.

‘They knew me, and I knew them. Over the five years we created a bond. A bond that I like to think can’t be broken.

‘Still, to this day, I will go in and get a chicken maryland. Once reunited its similar to two star crossed lovers. We know everything there is to know about each other, the flaws (the calorie count) are forgotten, and it’s simply un-denying love.

‘Life won’t be the same without you dear chicken maryland. You will forever be the one that got away.’