High Street chain collapse sweepstake

[WillPS]

During the brief period that one in Nottingham was a co-op, there was already another co-op down the road a matter of a few shops away, no wonder it didn't last long.

Would you believe it was a Co-op longer than it was a Somerfield. Time, eh?

[JAS84]

In short the stores affected are the ones which were originally Somerfields stores before the Co-Operative brought them out, and then sold them on to Budgens.

I wonder how many of those were originally Kwik Save stores. I can think of a few that made the conversion to Somerfield and then Co-Operative but didn't make it go Budgens.

From memory ours was a Gateways store when I was very young.

Makes sense. Gateway and Somerfield are one and the same, that was a rebranding.

[WillPS]

I wonder how many of those were originally Kwik Save stores. I can think of a few that made the conversion to Somerfield and then Co-Operative but didn't make it go Budgens.

From memory ours was a Gateways store when I was very young.

Makes sense. Gateway and Somerfield are one and the same, that was a rebranding.

Not exactly - Gateway conceived Somerfield as a fascia for smaller stores, it wasn't intended to replace Gateway outright. I don't think it was until after the Kwik Save acquisition that they standardised fully on their Somerfield and Kwik Save fascias.

They also had the Food Giant brand for their larger stores (which seemed absolutely huge at the time although probably would be average by today's standards) - they were all rebranded as Kwik Save very quickly after that brand had been acquired - even though they were very different beasts to legacy Kwik Save stores.

[adamcobb55]

In short the stores affected are the ones which were originally Somerfields stores before the Co-Operative brought them out, and then sold them on to Budgens.

I wonder how many of those were originally Kwik Save stores. I can think of a few that made the conversion to Somerfield and then Co-Operative but didn't make it go Budgens.

From memory ours was a Gateways store when I was very young.

The supermarket along the road from where I grew up in central Scotland went (from what I'm told) Coopers -> Fine Fare - > Gateway -> Somerfield and was then demolished and is now a Lidl.

[JAS84]

Daily Star says that Woolworths may be coming back:
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest- ... s-discount

[barcode]

I wonder how many of those were originally Kwik Save stores. I can think of a few that made the conversion to Somerfield and then Co-Operative but didn't make it go Budgens.

From memory ours was a Gateways store when I was very young.

The supermarket along the road from where I grew up in central Scotland went (from what I'm told) Coopers -> Fine Fare - > Gateway -> Somerfield and was then demolished and is now a Lidl.

Nice piece about how that all happened here: http://web.archive.org/web/201011030352 ... d-History/

Gateway sold of alot of its bigger stores to Asda, during the late 80s which caused some confused people.

Daily Star says that Woolworths may be coming back:
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest- ... s-discount

Nice idea but it wont happen, unless its very small scale in selective areas. Remember Alworths?

[JAS84]

And Wellworths/Wellchester. Woolies went out of business for a reason.

[all new Phil]

I don't get the Woolworths love (not that I think there's that much of it). I saw comments on an article about it's rumoured return which were mainly along the lines of "ahhh I miss woolies pick n mix", as if sweets aren't available anywhere else.

[WillPS]

Wilko seem to be doing fine though, and they've expanded massively in to lines which were Woolworths' stronger points (like confectionery).

[Martin Phillp]

I don't see the point in Woolies coming back. What they did sell was overpriced and could be purchased cheaper elsewhere.

As mentioned Wilko has cornered part of Woolies market with household and pick 'n' mix products, while Poundland has the budget end.

[Alexia]

I don't see the point in Woolies coming back. What they did sell was overpriced and could be purchased cheaper elsewhere.

As mentioned Wilko has cornered part of Woolies market with household and pick 'n' mix products, while Poundland has the budget end.

And every other damn shop on the high street. It would just be a B&M / Home Bargains mk2.