Produced by Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic, a film about a new home shopping service provided by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council and the supermarket chain Tesco to help the elderly and disabled in the borough. Presented by Julian Kranz the film speaks with many of those who were involved in the project about how it was started, how it works and its prospects for the future. Title: SIS. Shopping and Information Service Title: The Service that brings Home Shopping Outside Gateshead...

Produced by Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic, a film about a new home shopping service provided by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council and the supermarket chain Tesco to help the elderly and disabled in the borough. Presented by Julian Kranz the film speaks with many of those who were involved in the project about how it was started, how it works and its prospects for the future. Title: SIS. Shopping and Information Service Title: The Service that brings Home Shopping Outside Gateshead Old Town Hall on West Street presenter Julian Kranz provides background on Gateshead Shopping Information Service which began as a research project by the University of Newcastle into shopping pattens and taken up by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council to improving services for the disadvantaged and disabled groups in modern retail methods. It began as a one-year pilot scheme financed by Tesco with the support of the borough council. A poster for the Shopping and Information Service changes to two older women walking into Sunderland Road Branch Library in Gateshead. In the window of the library a poster for SIS with ‘Outlet Opening Hours’. Inside a woman brings over a cup of tea for one of the woman who sits beside a number of computers, around the room a mixture of older and young women with small children sitting around chatting. Sitting at a table a younger woman helps a pensioner complete a SIS Order Form from a shopping list after which details are then typed into one of the Commodore CBM Model 850 terminals at the back of the room. Inside the local Tesco supermarket, a cashier rings up prices on a cash register followed by a montage of shoppers inside the store looking over produce laid out on shelves while staff price up more items. At a till a woman unloads her goods from a shopping trolley onto the conveyor for the cashier In an office at the supermarket text on a computer screen reads ‘Sorted Printed’ followed by a female employee printing a picking list from her Commodore terminal. Back on the shop floor another member of staff reads from the list collects items from various shelves placing them in her trolley. The order completed, a male member of staff pushes a shopping trolley full of boxes of shopping through the store, past the checkouts to a waiting SIS Sherpa van which pulls up outside the store. The boxes are loaded into the van and the doors closed. Interview with Graham Lythe, Director of Social Services Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, David Hutchison, Assistant Chief Executive Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council and Paul Tyson, Superstore Manager Tesco about how and why the service was established. Standing outside a local library, Julian Kranz asks why access to the system was changed from using a VDU (Video Display Unit) located in a community centre to units placed in the local Social Services department and library. Ross Davies, Senior Lecturer in Geography University of Newcastle-on-Tyne and Patrick Conway, Deputy Chief Librarian Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council both explain the reasons why the library setting was chosen. As Paul Tyson provides details on how the system works a repeat of the footage seen earlier of an order being placing, details being input into a computer and a picking list being printed at the local Tesco with items collected by a member of staff. Ross Davies goes onto explain that for those who aren’t able to visit the library, a telephone service is available where orders can be placed. Sitting beside a computer screen Julian Kranz explains that as well as being a shopping service, SIS is also a local and national information service linked through British Telecom’s Prestel system. On the screen the Prestel system in action providing information to the viewer on Gateshead SIS. Returning to Julian he explains about the origin of the programme before cutting to David Hutchison who talks about some of the problems the project has had to face and how they have been overcome. Ross Davies believes they can learn a lot from a small local shop, but he also believes they can learn a lot from this project. Patrick Conway talks about the challenges of using new technology while Graham Lythe says that he has been impressed with how well older people in the borough have taken to using computers. Walking along West Gate Street in Gateshead Julian Kranz asks is the project going to remain small? All those participating in this film provide details of how they see the project developing into the future and the benefits they can bring to users and community. In the car park of the local Tesco supermarket Julian Kranz stand beside a SIS Sherpa van talking about how technology can benefit all in the community, he taps the side of the van which then drives off. Title: The Educational Development Service, Television Unit acknowledges the co-operation of Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, The University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tesco in the making of this programme Title: This programme was made for The Shopping and Information Service Gateshead Social Services Department Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, School of Librarianship and Information Studies Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic Credit: Presenter Julian Kranz Design Michael Ward Production Assistant Keith Selkirk Camera John Grisdale Producers Phill McTaggart, Project Leader, Gateshead Shopping and Information Services, Roger G Woodhouse, Senior Lecturer, School of Librarianship and Information Studies Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic Director Tony Edwards End title: © 1982 The Educational Development Service Television Unit, Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic