This Asda isn’t just a shop; it’s a social stage. You’ll see the local dog-walking group meeting outside, the pensioners on mobility scooters racing each other to the bakery (I’ve seen it, I swear), and the frazzled parents using the café as a temporary holding cell for their kids. The café, by the way, serves a decent cup of tea, even if the sausage rolls look like they’ve been microwaved since 2002.
Asda, Newton Abbot © Derek Harper cc-by-sa/2.0 :: Geograph Britain and
There’s a strange solidarity among shoppers here. When someone drops a jar of pasta sauce in the middle of the aisle, everyone collectively sighs, but then someone always helps clean it up. You might roll your eyes, but you’d also hand the person a napkin. It’s that unspoken British code.
And the staff—bless them—they’ve seen it all. I once asked a young lad where the custard creams were, and he replied, “Mate, I just work in the warehouse. I’m not a biscuit GPS.” Fair point. Honesty is refreshing, isn’t it?
What to Love (and Loathe)
The prices are the big draw. Asda’s own brand stuff is genuinely decent, especially the “Just Essentials” range. You can feed a family of four for a tenner if you’re smart. But the car park? That’s the villain of this story. It’s a tarmac maze designed by a masochist. The exit near the petrol station is a notorious bottleneck, and don’t get me started on the parent-and-child spaces—they’re always taken by a Range Rover with a child seat that’s probably never been used.
Still, I keep coming back. Why? Because it’s convenient and it’s mine. This Asda is part of Newton Abbot’s fabric. It’s where we buy our Christmas turkeys, our summer barbecue supplies, and our emergency chocolate for Tuesdays that feel like Mondays.
So next time you’re on Highweek Street and you see the giant blue sign, don’t just groan about the traffic. Walk in, grab a trolley with the wonky wheel (it’s tradition), and embrace the chaos. Who knows—you might leave with some hamster bedding, a newfound respect for budget supermarkets, and a weird story to tell. I certainly did.
