Given the jury's still out on the Vandevelde mission to revive M&S, it's no surprise that the City gave a seasonally cool reception to the Baker Street plan to open c-stores. And, despite some tabloid predictions to the contrary, the news has failed to send "shockwaves" around the independent slice of the £19.2bn a year convenience arena. Simple distribution economics suggests we won't be seeing M&S c-stores in the likes of Nether Scratchit (pop. 17,500 humans and 2,000 cats and dogs). But for Tesco and Sainsbury, who are flying their convenience flags in city centres, the move will pose challenges. For, whatever the City soothsayers say about M&S, and despite its well documented problems, it still commands healthy respect from many time-poor, cash rich food buying consumers. And that could just be the reason why smaller, specialist St Michael emporiums using their expertise in ready meals and sandwiches for example will quickly win City status, giving a timely, although hardly life saving, boost for the chain. Meanwhile, what a difference a year makes. From being a media target for Rip-off jibes 12 months ago, the supermarkets were this week the darlings of the tabloids for their petrol price cutting exploits. So where do they go in 2001? Even the most cynical industry observers have been surprised by the way Safeway's new man, Carlos Criado-Perez has made the City's doubting Thomases eat their words. His challenge will be to keep an impatient City quiet by maintaining the pace. Add that Asda will be keen to do much more to impress its demanding Bentonville bosses, Sainsbury's Sir Peter Davis has to come up with something extra to convert Square Mile doubters, and Tesco will not exactly be standing still, and you have the plot for 2001. But then, the only certainty is more flak in the multiples' relentless propaganda war. For as long as there's an eager media, ready to publicise even the daftest stunt, the chains' publicity teams will make shoppers vote with their feet, and their CEOs beam with embarrassment. Clive Beddall, Editor {{OPINION }}