Shall we all write to Co-Op and ask them to come back?

[poppy]

I really miss that shop!

[JGD]

My BH did that in February 2018.

She was cc'd in on a co-op internal referral to the manager responsible for the area. Her actions had been triggered by news that the next nearest co-op on FH might also be on the move.

No further response - as yet.

But do write people - an empty shop serves no-one.

[Nigel]

Poppy
Me too ! Not to sound too much like Harry Hill but we had a great two-part System : Coop for everyday ( not meat veg or bread of course ) Waitrose for a bit of sauciness at the weekend - both ethical type shops .
I’d love them to come back and all those negative nancies who said they were too expensive can try their luck at the mini Sainsbury’s .
A very good morning
Nigel

[The Clown]

I’d just discovered their muesli.... then... gone.
Thought the fruit and veg could have been fresher though.
Who do we write to?

[JGD]

Two email addresses:

property@coop.co.uk

membershipcontactus@coop.co.uk

[parker]

Co-op can’t even be bothered to put a permanent sign on their funeral parlour in the high street. Waste your energy on getting M&S in instead and badger this guy:
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/chris-smith-4607aa105

[Andyb]

Was told many times Co-op don’t like the high rent and just didn’t make enough money. But I spent nearly 30 years in that shop and if they did a better refit and sorted out their range and delivery’s it could work but still think m/s food hall will win if Aldi not interested

[mosy]

Although the Co-op did a refit not that long before it closed, presumably even that capital outlay didn't produce enough extra customer volume to avoid it being chopped when the banking troubles emerged. To me, it was too expensive when branded goods (so nowt to do with eco or fair trade) were up to 30% cheaper a few doors away. There's now Tesco Express and Sainsbury Local competing, Fair trade etc was a Unique Selling Point, but isn't really now, especially with "austerity", so what can the Co-op now lay claim to that makes it a cut above that people would shop there in Sydenham?

[Andyb]

Just gone past old coop/budgens and people inside and lorry along side !! Any ideas

[leenewham]

Many of their own brand goods were Fairtrade Mosy, and they sold more Fairtrade goods as a percentage than any other supermarket. Tesco Express would be more expensive than The Co-op, they have a different pricing structure to the main stores. Same with Sainsbury's local. The Co-operative are far more ethical than any supermarket on our high street. In 'austerity', people moved from own brand to branded goods as the price difference wasn't that great in the main supermarkets, which surprised them, as did sales of premium own brands went up, like Tesco Finest. One of the reasons why Aldi and Lidl did so well was because their own branded goods look like brands. Tesco recognised this and copied them.

I believe the Co-op could work on the high street, but it probably needed some tweaking of the business model and would probably benefit from the site being redeveloped with housing above. Their new branding makes them stand out and moves them slightly upmarket compared to where they were. It was always a slightly awkward building and layout inside, in a slightly awkward position. Lidl is closer to the car park, Tesco and Sainsbury's closer to the station and bus stops, which isn't great for convenience stores. The margins for supermarkets is pretty slim.

[Andyb]

After working there for so many years I agree with you that coop should take it back on but there previous refit ruined the shop floor layout make a false wall resulting in silly size aisles and replacing fridges with smaller ones which resulted in less shelf space etc also kiosk/tills was wrong but also there lack of staffing and unreliable delivery’s . But I’ve been told many times Co-op not interested as was Iceland so only time will tell but I’ll be first in line for new job whoever it is as a year out getting bored now.

[Andyb]

Just been looking throu jobsites and came across store mangers job for Sydenham Poundstretcher !!! Really ? Anyone hear anything

[SydenhamOwl]

https://www.poundstretcher.co.uk/careers?pid=5385 - 'Syndenham' - must be somewhere else...

[Andyb]

Hope so as budgens was bad enough! Thanks for quick response

[parker]

They might be taking the Toys R Us site?

[SydenhamOwl]

They might be taking the Toys R Us site?

More likely to be there I'd have thought, though would be a very quick turn around. The High Street is not exactly short of budget shops.

[Andyb]

Well it’s defo Sydenham south east London!! So keep eye out.

[Andyb]

They might be taking the Toys R Us site?

Sure I heard somewere that Sainsbury’s own the land and no food retailer allowed to open but maybe mistaken

[SydenhamOwl]

If it isn't Sainsbury's I would say its overwhelmingly likely to be on the Budgens site. None of the other empty units on the High Street are big enough.

[parker]

They might be taking the Toys R Us site?

Sure I heard somewere that Sainsbury’s own the land and no food retailer allowed to open but maybe mistaken

I highly doubt that the small amount of food in Pound Stretcher’s offering would stop Sainsbury’s allowing them to open there, an Aldi, yes.