Metropol

all new Phil wrote:Just to add - I love how Morrisons permanently have a member of staff manning their revolutionary banana-hanging station, usually stood behind it rotating the holders every so often. You can always be sure of a well stocked banana section when you visit Morrisons.

The banana situation signifies all that is wrong with Morrisons.

Was in my local Morrisons this morning and I've noticed they've virtually stopped selling CDs - the only ones I could find were on two low-level shelves at the end of the aisle they used to be stocked in, which now features childrens' toys instead.

Does anyone know is this a trend that's happened across the entire chain?

I note as well that Morrisons are now entering the convenience market, far far too late to make a difference.

Goes further to my argument that the chain is/was run by idiots during the Safeway takeover; all the smaller Safeway stores were sold (or even completely closed) on the grounds that they were not large enough to wear the hideous Morrisons branding.

Two years after paying god-knows how many millions on converting the remaining Safeway stores, the company then underwent a major brand refresh, costing god-knows how many millions more. A few years still, the company begins buying up former Co-Op small supermarkets.

Yes, but they make the best of the supermarket doughnuts.

That was more the doing of Sir Ken though wasn't it. SInce his departure things do seem to be run a bit better, although I was amazed to find out that Morrisons still do all of their stock ordering using pen and paper.

It's also interesting that they're considering buying Iceland, which would mean a greater move into running small stores.

Ebeneezer Scrooge wrote:Yes, but they make the best of the supermarket doughnuts.

I thought it was generally agreed that Marks and Spencers held that distinction, especially re the chocolate covered ones.

Now, cdd... I had come to respect you on this forum, but now you are talking about anything other than granulated sugar coating the outside* of a doughnut... you're on very shaky ground!

Edit: *and a sweet filling of course!

WillPS wrote:Goes further to my argument that the chain is/was run by idiots during the Safeway takeover; all the smaller Safeway stores were sold (or even completely closed) on the grounds that they were not large enough to wear the hideous Morrisons branding.

I think that was partly due to the competition commission ordering Morrisons to jettison a certain number of stores as a condition of the takeover, i.e. in towns where there was already a Safeway and a Morrisons.

WillPS wrote:Two years after paying god-knows how many millions on converting the remaining Safeway stores, the company then underwent a major brand refresh, costing god-knows how many millions more. A few years still, the company begins buying up former Co-Op small supermarkets.

Agreed, the initial conversion was reckless and hasty, a point I'll never get tired of making! It wasn't just the vandalism to the stores with that hideous yellow signage, but the way they obliterated the entire Safeway own brand portfolio of products and all of Safeway's endeavours to be modern (e.g. Pay@Pump technology). And forcing the Pie Shop into every store, including those in cosmopolitan parts of the South of England.... words fail me.

It really surprises me that Morrisons ultimately turned things into a success, profit wise.

Even the new generation Morrisons branding is downmarket compared to the lovely ambiance of the more modern Safeway stores before the takeover. I still wince when I see those gruesome yellow plastic litter bins around the front doors of what used to be really plush supermarkets.

Our local Morrisons actually looks very good now the rebrand is finally finished. It's the only real 'out of town' supermarket, so it's always packed out with people from the suburbs. In many ways I'd prefer to do the weekly shop there because of their in-store made pizzas and stuff, which always taste a lot fresher than the Tesco ones, but it's miles away, and seems pointless with Sainsbury's and Tesco just down the road.

I asked one of the managers if they were worried about the new, huge Tesco that we're getting, but he pointed out that as they're actually moving closer to the town centre so it doesn't affect their catchment area. Shame really, after living here for four years, all the shops get good as I move away.

ASDA are the king of in-store pizzas. Safeway were better.

rdobbie wrote:

WillPS wrote:Goes further to my argument that the chain is/was run by idiots during the Safeway takeover; all the smaller Safeway stores were sold (or even completely closed) on the grounds that they were not large enough to wear the hideous Morrisons branding.

I think that was partly due to the competition commission ordering Morrisons to jettison a certain number of stores as a condition of the takeover, i.e. in towns where there was already a Safeway and a Morrisons.

They went way over and above the competition requirements though. A good third of the Safeway portfolio were quickly placed into the "rump" category of store and few made it past 2005.

rdobbie wrote:

WillPS wrote:Two years after paying god-knows how many millions on converting the remaining Safeway stores, the company then underwent a major brand refresh, costing god-knows how many millions more. A few years still, the company begins buying up former Co-Op small supermarkets.

Agreed, the initial conversion was reckless and hasty, a point I'll never get tired of making! It wasn't just the vandalism to the stores with that hideous yellow signage, but the way they obliterated the entire Safeway own brand portfolio of products and all of Safeway's endeavours to be modern (e.g. Pay@Pump technology). And forcing the Pie Shop into every store, including those in cosmopolitan parts of the South of England.... words fail me.

It really surprises me that Morrisons ultimately turned things into a success, profit wise.

Even the new generation Morrisons branding is downmarket compared to the lovely ambiance of the more modern Safeway stores before the takeover. I still wince when I see those gruesome yellow plastic litter bins around the front doors of what used to be really plush supermarkets.

Hell yes. Safeway's systems were absolutely top notch, ahead of even today's supermarkets. Stuff like the Digital SELs they had were fantastic investments which obviously needed 5+ years to become cost effective - hastily ripped out and never replaced by Morrisons.

Safeway's counters were also second-to-none.

The fact that the Safeway brand was totally thrown away beggars belief.

I always feel like I have gone in a time warp when I enter a Morrisons store just so dated and the uniform gald I don't work there, the logo is nasty too ok its better then the last one but still dated.

I think they should have ditched the brand and gone with Safeway but I'm sure old Ken would have never done that