Sommerfield

[Zak]

It appears, according to the business pages, that the owners of Sommerfield (mostly private equity types) want to get shot of it. The business has been on the market for a while and they're now reported to be talking in earnest to The Co-op. Apparently if they do buy the business, then they may selectively sell off some of the branches that don't fit in with their business plan. So...........we could be in for the return of the Co-op or perhaps even an M&S.

[jimbo1964]

I can't see the attraction of M&S. Co-opertive are good on their organic and fair trade stuff.

[wee quinnie]

Jimbo - much as I like the premise of the Co-op, I am v unimpressed with the branch on Forest Hill Rd.

I can deffo see an effing Tesco Metro in that spot. Urgh! Makes me wanna vom.

[MitchK]

I can't wait to see the back of them. The place is so badly run in my humble opinion. What a great site - right in the middle of a busy street in a fairly wealthy residential area. They should be raking it in. The selection of fresh food / meat / fish etc is awful and there is always a long queue even when it is quite quiet. Bring on M&S or Waitrose but sadly I can't see much happening in the current environment.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I think the staff at Somerfield are darlings. They even let me borrow a trolley the other day when I'd bought far too much heavy stuff. Not everyone in ED is 'fairly wealthy', some of us survive due to the value range available. If you have so much disposable income, shop at William Rose and Moxtons on a regular basis - they are good shops but will remain treats for me.

[susan king]

I agree with you, the staff are lovely and helpful and part of ED, you blame management if a shop is badly run not the staff...

[monica]

Leave somerfields alone, they have been around for ages, the staff are lovely and very helpful.

[Asset]

Well okay, personally I do leave them well alone but you know what? Just because they've been there for ages doesn't mean they shouldn't receive any critisicm if there is dissatisfaction with the shop.

[JimSmith]

Would be gutted to see Somerfield dissapear since I moved here very freindly staff and great offers (specially booze), fairly good stock range, ideal as a neighbourhood top up (or even our whole weeks shop if we don't want that much).

M & S would just bring more overpriced overpackaged rubbish and Waitrose would be more likely to threaten the excellent range of independent shops we have.

[Brendan]

Personally I don?t really care what type of shop ends up there (I?m assuming if they change hands they will keep the old staff on) but just as an observation; Despite its reputation for being bargain-basement Co-op?s food is of a better quality and cheaper than Somerfields.

[snorky]

The Coop, despite its Proley cloth cap image and grim up north history has a longer annd more impressive stance on stocking ethical goods than the likes or scummerfield or the much hyped Mucho Shiteo

The quality is very good and the prices are competitive

It would be an interesting expreiment to set up a decent sized Coop and see how far the local shops / organic goods / fair trade crowd would actually patronise the coop or blank it 'cos of the image

[Muttley]

The former Woolwich BS, next to the Co-op pharmacy, used to be a Co-op grocery store. Closed in the late 1980s while Somerfield's predecessor (Gateway?) survived.

[Libby]

A friend who works at M&S told me a few months ago they are very keen to open a branch in the area but have yet to find suitable premises.

[snorky]

Libby Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> A friend who works at M&S told me a few months ago

> they are very keen to open a branch in the area

> but have yet to find suitable premises.

I hear the black cherry will be closing soon... ?

[Michael Palaeologus]

Ah, the "M&S is coming to ED" rumour has returned, it must be Spring!

[Al&Em]

I remember going into Somerfields before it got 'freshed' up a couple of years ago - terrible experience. Staff were arguing with the manager over pay and breaks etc at the tills in front of customers and generally pretending we weren't there, the place was shoddy. They closed it, redid it, reopened it, and I've always thought the staff have been great ever since. Not sure if htey retrained them or recruited from scratch - suspect the latter.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Will you be sending a letter to the "Times"' Editor, Michael?

[bean_and_legumes]

not a co-op "welcome" like the the one on forest hill road pleeease!

the price of eggs! Coffee out of reach behind the counter.... are they trying to piss me off in the morning!

the most un-welcoming establishment i ever set foot in!

[BARA]

I wandered into the M & S in Walworth Road the other day,looked around for some tinned soup for my 84 year old Mum, just something different to the usual she has from sainsburys. 99p for a can of soup, normally 35 - 45 p in Sainsbury. The posh soups were around ?1.50 a can. Could not believe how much M & S prices have gone up since before Xmas - ended up with some Cornish Pasties which were buy one get one half price. I earn a decent wage and with all the kids gone,can afford to splash out on odd 'treat' Just to buy 2 pieces of frozen fish in a packet would have cost almost ?10 - cheaper to go to Sema's and get a takeaway. What surprised me was the number of OAPs loading up their baskets with food, lady in front of me had 6 items (mix of frozen and chilled meals for one) bill came to ?35 approx. Sommerfield may be expensive but would rather have them than M & S in terms of prices. I know many people on benefit who cannot get to Sainsburys who rely on Sommerfields cheaper foodstuffs (they tell me certain items are cheaper than Sainsburys).

[Monkey]

Just to add some fact... Co-Op confirmed this morning that they were in takeover talks with Somerfield. Co-Op CEO Peter Marks told Bloomberg News that the business would be ``a great strategic fit.'' He said that he hoped the deal will ``get to the finish line.''

[jimbo1964]

I've no problem with the Forest Hill road Co-Op. It's fine for a local store.