The IKEA Experience

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As part of our regular dose of ‘retail therapy’, we headed over to IKEA in Bletchley today. Trish and Sean joined us, with a view to them getting some ideas for Sean’s new place in Burton Latimer – and maybe bag a bargain!

I can’t remember the last time we shopped here, but judging by the crowds flocking in the same direction as us (as well as the already 99%-full car-park) – it was as popular as ever!

Covid-19 ‘arrangements’ meant the crowd aspect was somewhat amplified as we joined an ever-growing snake-of-a-queue as the minutes ticked down to opening time at 11. I guess we only queued for about 15 minutes, but it felt longer due to the regimented enter/don’t enter traffic-light system (literally, but minus the orange one!) above the door and not helped by the hand-sanitising dispenser suffering a goo-slow (see what I did there?) just 1 minute into the doors opening! It was going to be a real test for social-distancing, but at least masks were clearly in use.

Safely sanitised by a helpful member of their cleaning-squad, we began our exploration of Planet-IKEA. In the time between our previous visit (1837???) and today, I’d completely forgotten two things about Sweden’s favourite DIY destination: one specific to Bletchley and one more general. First, this particular IKEA is simply massive – and I do mean massive! (311,077 sq ft – 0.03 km² – since you asked). The shopping area went on and on (and on!). Second, the prices! There are low prices and then there are IKEA prices! It’s a bit of a cliché, I know, but I really don’t know how they do it for the money! Especially, some wooden furniture, where if you built it yourself (you wouldn’t let ME make you anything in wood – just saying!) the cost of the screws alone would exceed the price of the price being charged here! Amazing!! 😃

You name it, they had it – in all the colours in all the sizes. Two hours later, we were on our way out – each of us with our bagged bargain or two (or three… or five!) 😅

An amazing experience! And if the queue was long when we arrived, you should have seen it as we left – at least an hour of traffic-light-watching before these poor souls were going to be able to get in 😮

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