In my local shopping centre in Hammersmith there used to be an Adams childrens clothes shop. Nicely designed kiddies' clobber, squarely aimed at the middle classes. But a bit pricey for me to be honest. I can't recall ever buying anything there. Well perhaps once, but vowed never to return because of what seemed like an absurd demand for a three year old's T-shirt.

Then Primark came along. Within 12 months Adams had been blown away by the force of nature that is Britain's most powerful discount retailer. Twee and beautifully stitched (and not by children in India) is all very well, but it cannot compete with £3 pairs of boys' pyjamas. The Adams unit stood empty for perhaps another year. To be honest it was not missed.

On Saturday the place was heaving. Jolly pop music was blaring out, a cheesy entertainer was drumming up business through a megaphone, "champagne" (well £1.99 Cava actually) was being handed out to selected lucky shoppers. Yes W6 has its first Poundland store. You might think that losing an achingly "nice" children's clothes store and gaining an in your face bargain bucket discounter might not necessarily be a good swap. Well, I'm not so sure. I came away with a perfectly serviceable leather cricket ball, a big roll of bin bags, a dozen or so AA batteries and some WD40. Enough to create a serviceable machine for the Great Egg Race. And all for £4.

There was great excitement in the aisles with gleeful Hammersmith shoppers declaring "it's even cheaper than Iceland." In these straitened times, these things matter.

I came away, a classic middle class shopper who can't resist a bargain, strangely uplifted by life in Poundland. OK, it's not exactly the kind of aspirational brand that raises neighbourhood property prices. But such shops are also a tribute to the extraordinary flexiblity and agility of 21st century capitalism. Shop prices might be going up more than the 3.3 per cent official rate of inflation, but that does not mean consumers just have to stand there and take it. With a bit more Poundland and a little less Adams you can bring down you own personal RPI very effectively. Just wait until the first Aldi arrives in middle class London.