Comment: Morrisons puts its best foot forward in Croydon

Morrisons looks as if it is back in the race with the opening of a new store in south London, but will it be able to do enough quickly enough?

Today a major event has taken place in London. And for the dozens camped outside, it will probably take precedence over anything else. It will not however be in the Mail Online, or any of the other nationals, neither is it likely to be splashed on any of the broadcast channels.

Having therefore ruled out Kate Middleton, although by the time you read this she may well have done that which we have all been waiting for, the big news is that Morrisons opened a store in Croydon this morning. Or to be more precise, it opened a new store just off the A23, the major arterial road that runs up from south of London and successfully skims the south London metropolis without actually passing through it.

For those living nearby, this will provide an alternative to the very large Sainsbury’s that is less than a minute up the road, by car - which is the way everybody here travels - and which presents a heavily wood-clad face to the food shopping world. The same is actually true of the new Morrisons store and for those stepping inside this is a store format that is catching up with what has been going on at Tesco of late.

Practically, this means that the 37,000 sq ft store has a “patisserie style” cake shop, a “make your own pizza counter” and a “Fresh to Go” area serving food to take away.

All of this will put it on terms perhaps with what Tesco has been doing in Chelmsford with its “super convenience” store and it has the additional attraction of the veg area being equipped with the “misting” counter that keeps the stock looking fresh and shiny, as long as the replenishment effort is up to scratch.

The question is whether Morrisons is getting things right in time? This is certainly a good-looking store and while, fair cop, there were not actually dozens camped out this morning waiting for the key to turn, this new store will attract its fair share of shoppers and generate enthusiasm. In the face of considerable and trenchant criticism, Tesco has been very quick to turn things around as far as its store interiors (and exteriors) are concerned. Morrisons needs to act with equal despatch.