Co-Op launches St Norbert's Road
There's been another salvo fired in the local supermarket war. This time, by the Co-Op.
With a press release which makes it sound a little like impoverished South East Londoners should be impressed by a number with so many noughts in it, the Co-Op has announced its new "£350,000" food store in West Brockley:
On Thursday 28 July, a £350,000 Co-operative Food store will open on St Norbert’s Road in Brockley. The investment underlines The Co-operative’s commitment to serving local communities and has created 16 new jobs.
To mark the occasion artists from Lewisham Art House will perform a ribbon cutting ceremony at the store at 10am. A fellow co-operative organisation, the Lewisham Art House was formed over fifteen years ago and is dedicated to fostering artistic endeavour within the local area. The artists will receive a donation of £200 towards group funds.
Ken Tyler, manager of the new store said: “The Co-operative is a community retailer and we are committed to playing a real role in local life. It is fantastic that members of the Lewisham Art House can join us on our special day.
“Our store will operate in the heart of Brockley, providing an ideal location for people to shop locally. It is important to all the members of staff here that we meet people’s needs and we are all looking forward to welcoming our new customers.”
The bright and spacious store will be open 7am – 10pm, Monday to Saturday and 8am – 10pm on Sundays. Extensive ranges of fresh fruit and vegetables will be available, as well as higher welfare meat and fish. Seasonal products will be introduced throughout the year and The Co-operative bakery will provide a selection of breads and pastries baked fresh in store.
As the leading supermarket supporter of Fairtrade foods, The Co-operative’s extensive Fairtrade range will also be offered, encompassing everything from chocolate, fruit and nuts, to cereals, cakes and a market-leading wine range.
To celebrate the opening of the store, The Co-operative will be staging a series of events and promotions from 10am until 4pm on Saturday 30 July. Rather than the traditional red carpet, shoppers will be able to enter the store via a green carpet that emphasises The Co-operative’s ethical credentials. Shoppers can also try their luck on fun scratch cards for a chance to win prizes from The Co-operative’s family of businesses, including a holiday worth £1000, electrical items and food vouchers.
The Co-operative is different because it gives profits back to its members through the Membership dividend scheme. Members can choose to keep the cash from their dividend payment or donate all or part of their share to local good causes.
Membership of The Co-operative, which costs just £1, offers a range of benefits including a say in how stores are run and the opportunity to support The Co-operative’s campaigns on issues such as climate change and social inclusion.
[Full disclosure: my agency does a bit of work for Sainsbury's, yada yada].
