Somerfield up for sale

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Wispy Wonder
Posts: 137
Joined: 11 Jan 2006 22:13
Location: Sydenham

Post by Wispy Wonder »

Let's be honest - all we'll get is the biggest £1 shop in the southeast - maybe with a nail bar in one corner and a nylon wig salon at the back.

W. Wonder
lizzie
Posts: 74
Joined: 12 Sep 2006 12:15
Location: sydenham

Post by lizzie »

I have written to the Co-Op asking them to consider it.
syderry
Posts: 2
Joined: 27 Feb 2008 14:03
Location: Sydenham

Re: Surely

Post by syderry »

jackieboo wrote:It is now cheaper for me to drive to Croydon and pay to park in Centrale than paying £2 each way on the bus.
Use Oyster - 90p, not £2
jonekt
Posts: 129
Joined: 10 Oct 2006 14:52
Location: Sydenham

Post by jonekt »

I was thinking of setting up an online petition for Somerfield to be converted into a Somerfield fresh. Would anyone be interest in sign-it?

Admin- would it be OK to post a link to the petition on this site? If there was enough support I would then send to Somerfield PLC.
Ella
Posts: 35
Joined: 8 Oct 2004 15:03
Location: SE26

Post by Ella »

I think it is too late to petition Somerfield as the supermarket chain is up for sale. The two main contenders to buy Somerfield seem to be the Co-op and Asda.
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

Whoever buys Somerfield would probably drop the Somerfield brand. Then they would carve up the stores and sell some off (they probably wouldn't be allowed to keep all the stores anyway).

With the size of Somerfield stores it makes more sense for the Co-operatve to buy them as they are similar sizes to they current stores in many areas.

I'd welcome a co-operative. They are the most ethical supermarket and according to price comparisons in marketing magazines they are cheaper. I have met some of the management from there and it's a totally different set up to the other supermarkets. These people really care about what they do.

I'd still prefer a Waitrose though which is still possible.
poppy
Posts: 574
Joined: 1 Sep 2007 20:03
Location: Sydenham

Somerfield

Post by poppy »

I wouldn't mind Co-op either. The ones I have seen though don't tend to make much of an effort with their shop fronts though. Don't they tend to coat the windows with posters so you can't see inside. I think just not doing this would make them look a lot more welcoming...and shouldn't cost much.
MiniFox
Posts: 191
Joined: 8 Oct 2007 20:32
Location: Lawrie Park Road

Post by MiniFox »

My mum has worked for a Cooperative Supermarket for 20 years and on the comments about them really caring about what they do, I can hear her laughing from her

The stories I could tell you about produce... but I dont want to get done for libel (even tho it would be true)

I also think their range is chronically limited. When I lived in West Norwood, I would always go in there thinking "oh they are bound to have..." and honest to god I always used to leave the place fuming at how crap they were and how stupid I was for thinking they might have something I'd want to buy
I'd be seriously pissed off if we ended up with a Coop
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

You wont get done for libel telling someone what you think about a supermarket or by telling the truth.

You should tell everyone so they can make up their own mind.

It would be interesting to know if this was a problem from head office or if it was how the store was run and if its happened recently (the supermarket has changed recently).

Ethically, how they source products and their work on Fairtrade has been very good.

When you work with different supermarkets you realize that they are actually quite different, despite the fact that the same suppliers make the food for all of them.
MiniFox
Posts: 191
Joined: 8 Oct 2007 20:32
Location: Lawrie Park Road

Post by MiniFox »

No, I wont get done for libel, if it's the truth, but as my mother is still less than gainfully employed for them, I very much doubt that giving evidence on my behalf would do much for her employment status

It could well be that it is just the management of the store, but as my home town is one of those Midlands towns where pretty much everything is, or once was, owned by the Co-op, I can say with some certainty that it isnt just the management of the particular supermarket in question. I've also had to deal with Manchester-based management in the course of my job, and they didnt impress me too much either

I wont be darkening the doors of any of the establishments
Ella
Posts: 35
Joined: 8 Oct 2004 15:03
Location: SE26

Post by Ella »

In the Financial Times today it says that exclusive talks have started between Somerfield and the Co-op which is it hoped will be concluded by the end of next week.
Annie
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Joined: 13 May 2006 11:08
Location: Sydenham

Post by Annie »

:)

30 or so years ago i worked in Safeways as it was then, there was a manager for each section of the supermarket and the store was a pleasure to work in and the service to the public was excellent, once the cost cutting started the decline of the store wasn't far behind.
shame really.
I hope we don't get a co op or waitrose i would rather have an Asda or Tesco personally.
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

Just out of interest, why don't you want a Co-op or Waitrose and why do you want Tesco or Asda?
Annie
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Location: Sydenham

Post by Annie »

:D
hiya,
Just from personal experience having used both the Co-Op and Waitrose in the past i always had the feeling that the fruit and veg etc was old, and the service was a couldn't care less attitude,where as when i have been in the other two supermarkets i always have come out with a positive feeling, but having said that i went to Tescos in Elmers end recently and it is going down hill a bit.
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

I'm shocked you had a bad experience in waitrose which one did you go to? their own brand good are much higher quality than the other supermarkets. Waitrose own brand is the same, if not better than Tesco Finest.
Monica
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Joined: 4 Apr 2006 13:53
Location: sydenham

Post by Monica »

If only there was a 'danger' of getting a Waitrose, if only!
Annie
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Joined: 13 May 2006 11:08
Location: Sydenham

Post by Annie »

:)

Theres not one specific Waitrose that i don't like, its a general feeling i get from them whilst camping and using the only available supermarkets near to the different sites we have been to,they tend to be small local stores about the size of Somerfields in Sydenham, which just for the record i don't like Somerfields either, although i have no real gripe against the Sydenham one. but they just seem to feel unloved as if no one really bothers with them,i get the same feeling in lydlls (excuse spelling not sure if its right) sort of cardboard box'y if you know what i mean? :wink:
MiniFox
Posts: 191
Joined: 8 Oct 2007 20:32
Location: Lawrie Park Road

Post by MiniFox »

Monica wrote:If only there was a 'danger' of getting a Waitrose, if only!
:wink:
poppy
Posts: 574
Joined: 1 Sep 2007 20:03
Location: Sydenham

Somerfield up for sale

Post by poppy »

I was driving through Biggin Hill recently and they actually have a Simply Food and Waitrose next door to each other! Surely Sydenham could attract just one of these! BH did not look that special to me! :?
Gaz
Posts: 366
Joined: 17 Sep 2007 23:22
Location: Sydenham

Post by Gaz »

Some interesting comments above about supermarkets!

I've always liked the co-op because of their ethical stance (and I also used to work at my local co-ops to fund college/uni (local as in "PIMCOS" - Portsea Island). These stores were heavily dependent on the store's manager as to their practices but I never saw anything untoward and we were always very strict about the 'sell before' dates - something which disappointingly other supermarkets (esp Tesco Metros, I find) don't seem to care about. Not too sure how well the southern co-ops compare to the northern ones though. However, I find that London co-ops don't generally have the biggest range.

I personally probably wouldn't use a Waitrose as the kind of things that I'd buy from a supermarket; I could get just as easily (and cheaper!) from the Sainsbury in Forest Hill...
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