What is the Co-op known as where you are?
The continuous Somerfield ads seem to be replaced by co-branded Co-Op Food adverts now, introduced by that patronising show of affection between staff. Ironic, as seeing as the last thing to be harmonised during a merger/take over is often staff contracts/rights/pay conditions.
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scottishtv
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- Joined: Thu 01 Apr, 2004 15.36
- Location: Edinburgh
An old thread, I know, but I've still not made it into a Haldanes store, and by the looks of things, I'll have to be quick. (BBC News article: Hundreds of jobs go at Haldanes).scottishtv wrote:Hopefully this supermarket thread is generic enough to talk about a newcomer on the block, Haldanes.
Has anyone been to any stores of this little regional chain before? I'm tempted to find one just so I can report back here on quality of in-store branding. And food.
Having bought former Co-ops, I wonder who will end up getting these shops in the end or if they are just duds that will be shut down for good?
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scottishtv
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- Joined: Thu 01 Apr, 2004 15.36
- Location: Edinburgh
Just noticed that their website URL http://www.haldanes-stores.co.uk/ currently redirects you to Google. Why do administrators do these bizarre things?
To be honest going into a Haldanes wasn't that exciting. Just imagine it a Somerfield layout as it was just before it closed, add a few new signs.
Then imagine a store where only about 1/3 of the shelves are full (of Nisa's "Heritage" tat) and imagine a distinct lack of both range and any of the items that they're meant to be selling.
Add in some grumpy staff and a shelf full of £6 cheesecakes but no cans of beans and a crowd of customer marching out the door to go elsewhere and you have the full Haldanes experience in a nutshell.
Then imagine a store where only about 1/3 of the shelves are full (of Nisa's "Heritage" tat) and imagine a distinct lack of both range and any of the items that they're meant to be selling.
Add in some grumpy staff and a shelf full of £6 cheesecakes but no cans of beans and a crowd of customer marching out the door to go elsewhere and you have the full Haldanes experience in a nutshell.
"He has to be larger than bacon"
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scottishtv
- Posts: 764
- Joined: Thu 01 Apr, 2004 15.36
- Location: Edinburgh
Oh, I thought it was meant to be nice with local-sourcing and all that. Fair enough. I did wonder about them when I saw the bit about trying to sue the Co-op because the stores they bought from them aren't doing well now...
As we're all here, I thought I might talk about the muddle the Co-op is in here.
We have the East of England Co-operative Society Foodstores, where we have separate membership cards, and where 'The Co-operative' cards aren't accepted. Also, the Somerfield's accept 'The Co-operative' membership cards, but not the East of England Co-operative Society cards here.
And, in the Britannia/Co-operative Bank merger, the Britannia name seems to be dying out, as most letters being sent out are from the Co-operative bank. I also recently got a statement for points on my 'The Co-operative' card, which produced very little as it doesn't recognise the EoECS cards.
We have the East of England Co-operative Society Foodstores, where we have separate membership cards, and where 'The Co-operative' cards aren't accepted. Also, the Somerfield's accept 'The Co-operative' membership cards, but not the East of England Co-operative Society cards here.
And, in the Britannia/Co-operative Bank merger, the Britannia name seems to be dying out, as most letters being sent out are from the Co-operative bank. I also recently got a statement for points on my 'The Co-operative' card, which produced very little as it doesn't recognise the EoECS cards.
I remember we used to have a lovely Co-Op department store in Walsall. (Part of it later became 'Bar Sport')
Across the other side of Walsall town centre, there was a place called 'Krazy Kuts', which was Co-Op related, then that got knocked down & replaced by yet another Co-Op supermarket/furniture store, which also partly replaced the other store mentioned above.
This site is now part of the 'Crown Wharf' shopping centre in Walsall.
There is currently no Co-Op store in central Walsall.
Outside of Walsall, they used to have little neighbourhood stores. There were 2 within 5 to 10 mins of my house.
One in Bloxwich, became a mini market hall, before becoming a Co-Op funeral parlour, while one in Leamore became a car park to a former bingo hall, which later became a Farm Foods & a William Hill bookies combination.
Across the road from the 'car park' is a Somerfield / petrol station, which recently hit the news.
http://www.thebloxidgetallygraph.com/my ... nnamed.htm
On the opposite corner, there is another parade of shops, which contains a Co-Op chemist & again this corner hit the headlines a few weeks before the incident above, a few doors up from the chemist!
http://www.thebloxidgetallygraph.com/blackhorsefire.htm
Across the other side of Walsall town centre, there was a place called 'Krazy Kuts', which was Co-Op related, then that got knocked down & replaced by yet another Co-Op supermarket/furniture store, which also partly replaced the other store mentioned above.
This site is now part of the 'Crown Wharf' shopping centre in Walsall.
There is currently no Co-Op store in central Walsall.
Outside of Walsall, they used to have little neighbourhood stores. There were 2 within 5 to 10 mins of my house.
One in Bloxwich, became a mini market hall, before becoming a Co-Op funeral parlour, while one in Leamore became a car park to a former bingo hall, which later became a Farm Foods & a William Hill bookies combination.
Across the road from the 'car park' is a Somerfield / petrol station, which recently hit the news.
http://www.thebloxidgetallygraph.com/my ... nnamed.htm
On the opposite corner, there is another parade of shops, which contains a Co-Op chemist & again this corner hit the headlines a few weeks before the incident above, a few doors up from the chemist!
http://www.thebloxidgetallygraph.com/blackhorsefire.htm
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I echo Pete's comments about Haldanes. Somerfield without the stock, essentially.
The Co-op buyout of Somerfield has made divvy systems a bit untidy, no two ways. There isn't much more the Co-operative Group can do though - they already offer Co-operative societies the chance to part-merge their systems such that their members cards are interoperable (as Anglia Regional Co-operative Society/Westgate have).
The Co-op buyout of Somerfield has made divvy systems a bit untidy, no two ways. There isn't much more the Co-operative Group can do though - they already offer Co-operative societies the chance to part-merge their systems such that their members cards are interoperable (as Anglia Regional Co-operative Society/Westgate have).
While I'm thinking of it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/co-operativestores/
This seems to be one bloke who rather likes Co-Operative stuff. A good number of the stores are pictured, sometimes in interesting states (this ex-Sainsbury's at Jacksons is just one example).
Lost a good few hours procrastinating through this stuff!
This beast (unfortunately now closed) is my favourite: http://www.flickr.com/photos/co-operati ... 272888808/
I found a piece about it in the library once, where the bloke in charge of GNCS went on record saying he expected all GNCS Supermarkets to resemble this one by the year 2000. Oh dear.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/co-operativestores/
This seems to be one bloke who rather likes Co-Operative stuff. A good number of the stores are pictured, sometimes in interesting states (this ex-Sainsbury's at Jacksons is just one example).
Lost a good few hours procrastinating through this stuff!
This beast (unfortunately now closed) is my favourite: http://www.flickr.com/photos/co-operati ... 272888808/
I found a piece about it in the library once, where the bloke in charge of GNCS went on record saying he expected all GNCS Supermarkets to resemble this one by the year 2000. Oh dear.