Trivia: Retail/food chains that don’t cover the entire UK

[danielcanning]

Percy Ingle is another bakery with small spatial footprint. 50 branches in east London and Essex

Not anymore, Percy Ingle closed all their bakeries in 2020...

 

[GusB]

I had only really noticed chains of bakeries when I lived in Aberdeen, Chalmers' and Thain's being two of the bigger ones. One I remember from journeys by train when I was a kid was Strathdee - it might have had something to do with doughnuts!

Other than that, you'd maybe have had a couple of local bakeries that had one of two shops, but there seems to have been a lot of consolidation in that market. Asher's is quite dominant the Highlands and Moray, and Harry Gow has a concession in my local Asda as well as a standalone shop near one of the industrial estates in the town. Ralph's, Smith's, Main's and Smillie's have all gone. Local shops stock bread from as far afield as Huntly and Inverurie these days.

I haven't included Gregg's, although their tentacles have recently reached a local Londis shop attached to a petrol station.

I know you're asking about now, so I'm not answering the question, but Sainsbury's used to be in the south of England only, when we went to visit my grandparents in the late 1960s there was one in Cheltenham but I'd never seen one anywhere near Manchester. This clearly changed. Waitrose followed more recently, again there was one in Bath where I lived in 1994 but not in or around Manchester. Wilmslow gained a Sainsbury's in about 1980 and a Waitrose when it replaced Safeway in the first decade of this century, but both were definitely "southern" for a long time. Whereas Tesco was always here since the 1960s in my recollection. However there were more independent supermarkets which occupied the gap, which the now-major chains forced out when they moved in more recently.

Tesco didn't have a huge presence in my part of the world. There was a superstore in Aberdeen and the next nearest was in Dundee - when I was a student it was a bit of a novelty to shop there. It was only when they bought the Wm Low stores that Tesco expanded its footprint.

Sainsbury's had no presence at all until they built their first store in Aberdeen, and then acquired another from CWS Scotland (Co-op) as it got rid of its larger shops. There's now a branch in Nairn, but further plans for expansion haven't so far come to fruition.

Then of course there's Morrison's; it acquired quite a large portfolio of shops in this area through its acquisition of Safeway, but quickly sold the smaller shops to Somerfield and only kept the "flagship" stores in Aberdeen and Inverness.

 

[alxndr]

Parson’s bakery is only in the south west and South Wales, mostly along the M4 and M5 corridors.

Aside from Reddich, Preston and a trade counter in Glasgow, Hughes (electrical store) is East Anglian.

 

[birchesgreen]

How widespread were Druckers, i know they were Midlands based but the only branch i saw outside Brum was in Redditch.

 

[Fenchurch SP]

B&M took a while to work its way southwards. Even now, with stores more widespread, there isn't one in Surrey.

Loads in Cornwall though! I was thinking maybe they started there but evidently not.

 

[busestrains]

Asda and Morrisons and Iceland are very rare in the South East England area. But very common elsewhere. They do have them in the South East but very few compared to up north.

I have lived and worked in the South East most of my life and it is incredibly rare for me to stumble across an Asda or Morrisons or Iceland where as i see Waitrose everywhere i go.

On the other hand Waitrose are very common in the South East England area. But very rare elsewhere. They do have them throughout the country but only a very tiny amount elsewhere.

Lets look at Surrey (which i am defining as the current Surrey County Council area) which currently has:

24x Waitrose
3x Asda
3x Morrisons
3x Iceland

Now look at Sussex (which i am defining as the current East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council areas all combined) which currently has:

22x Waitrose
8x Asda
8x Morrisons
14x Iceland

So it is clear that Waitrose is more targeted towards the South East while Asda and Morrisons and Iceland are more targeted towards other areas.

Cumbria (which is a massive areas) has zero Waitrose branches. Lancashire (which is also a massive area) has just one Waitrose branch. Yorkshire (all of East North South West parts combined which is an enormous area both size and population wise) have just three Waitrose branches. So it appears that Waitrose are not really that interested in these other areas. But interestingly Jersey and Guernsey have three Waitrose branches each so six in total in the Channel Islands area.

Sainsburys and Tesco are more national supermarkets these days as you see them everywhere. You can find Sainsburys and Tesco in most areas. So they do not seem to have a target area as such these days.

B & M and Home Bargains are also very much Northern England targeted with very few South East branches. I have never actually been in one before. The only time i have seen them is on my travels to other areas. So they are rare in many parts of the country.

Centra and Super Value are two supermarket chains in both Northern Ireland and the Republic Of Ireland but they have no stores on the mainland. Centra is more convenience style local supermarkets while Super Value is more large full sized supermarkets but they are both owned by the same people. I reckon there must be other chains that are in both Northern Ireland and the Republic Of Ireland but have no stores on the mainland.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Good post @busestrains. Presumably the geographical location (and number) of distribution centres must be a factor in determining where retail outlets are actually located. Not very economical in having a solitary outlet that's a long way from the nearest distribution centre.

 

[SteveM70]

How widespread were Druckers, i know they were Midlands based but the only branch i saw outside Brum was in Redditch.

There was one in Coventry in the 1980s

 

[W-on-Sea]

Poundbakery is very much a Midlands/Northern England thing. I think they don't come any further south than the West Midlands conurbation, and are rare even there.

 

[Harold Hill]

'Tesco didn't have a huge presence in my part of the world. There was a superstore in Aberdeen and the next nearest was in Dundee - when I was a student it was a bit of a novelty to shop there. It was only when they bought the Wm Low stores that Tesco expanded its footprint.'

That seems odd, bearing in mind the regular Tesco train to Scotland

 

[AY1975]

The East of England Co-op has over 120 stores, almost all of which are located in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

The clue's undoubtedly in the name!

Likewise, the Central England Co-op is mainly in the Midlands although they do also have at least one store in Sheffield which is South Yorkshire although their branch there is just over the border from Derbyshire.

AIUI both the Central England and the East of England Co-op are part of the Co-operative Group, which is countrywide, though.

Then of course there's Morrison's; it acquired quite a large portfolio of shops in this area through its acquisition of Safeway, but quickly sold the smaller shops to Somerfield and only kept the "flagship" stores in Aberdeen and Inverness.

Asda and Morrisons and Iceland are very rare in the South East England area. But very common elsewhere. They do have them in the South East but very few compared to up north.

I think Morrisons always used to be only in the Midlands and the north of England but in recent years they've expanded across most of the country. I'd forgotten that they had acquired Safeway.

 

[AlterEgo]

Morley’s fried chicken is almost exclusively in south London.

 

[Jamiescott1]

Tim Hortons are still most found in Scotland and the Northwest, certainly don't rate their food.

Theres over 5000 tim hortons in the world. Their uk branches are nothing like their Canadian ones (its a Canadian company) and seem to do a completely different style of food.

I know of ones in Braintree, Milton Keynes and Birmingham, Ipswich, Watford and few in London so defo down south. Their doughnuts are also in spar stores

First time I saw greggs was in 90s in Nottingham. They didn't exist in South East, we had bakers oven (which greggs then took over).
Andys records was an East anglia chain of music shops.

Pret used to be very london centric but seems to have spread out.

Mr toppers hair dressers seem to be only in London

 

[SteveM70]

AIUI both the Central England and the East of England Co-op are part of the Co-operative Group, which is countrywide, though.

No

They’re entirely independent of the Coop Group, but they and about a dozen other independent societies ranging from the Southern Coop with over a hundred branches to the single branch Allendale Coop have access (for a fee) to the Ccop Group buying function and supply chain / logistics network

Overall there about 4,000 stores served by the Coop Group network, and about a third are independent. This varies by region, so for example the stores their Andover depot delivers to are about 50/50 tCG and independent, whereas Birtley serves about 230 stores of which only 12 are independent

 

[ChrisC]

Waitrose is one, nothing north of Stirling. Bizarre that they never tried one in Aberdeen.

When my local branch of Waitrose opened in Newark in Nottinghamshire it was the most northerly branch and remained so for a few years.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

When my local branch of Waitrose opened in Newark in Nottinghamshire it was the most northerly branch and remained so for a few years.

That must be a few years ago. When exactly are we talking, early to mid 2000's?

Believe Waitrose opened a store in Durham in November 2005, which is now 17+ years ago!

 

[317 forever]

Coffee chain Coffee #1 has many branches in Wales, the South West, areas a notable distance south west or of London and north west of London as far as Lichfield. I even used the one in Lichfield in March 2021.

 

[gg1]

First time I saw greggs was in 90s in Nottingham. They didn't exist in South East, we had bakers oven (which greggs then took over).

Similarly Greggs didn't have much of a presence in and around Birmingham until the mid/late 90s when they bought out a local chain, Braggs, and rebranded the stores.

 

[W-on-Sea]

'Tesco didn't have a huge presence in my part of the world. There was a superstore in Aberdeen and the next nearest was in Dundee - when I was a student it was a bit of a novelty to shop there. It was only when they bought the Wm Low stores that Tesco expanded its footprint.'

That seems odd, bearing in mind the regular Tesco train to Scotland

The Wm Low takeover was in the mid-1990s, though. In most regards the Tesco takeover brought about an almost revolutionary modernisation to some of the stores!

 

[Trackman]

For example, Booths only has stores in the North of England.

What is the most southerly branch of Booth's?
I went to one about 20 years ago when on holiday up north, their bacon was great!!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What is the most southerly branch of Booth's?

Probably Knutsford.

 

[PeterY]

In Hertfordshire, we have a bakery chain called Simmons. They are slowly spreading their wings. I must add, they are far better quality wise than Greggs.

 

[Bald Rick]

Yorkshire and the surrounding area have two unconnected bakery chains both called Cooplands. Cooplands of Scarborough cover East Yorkshire and the eastern end of North Yorkshire. Cooplands of Doncaster cover mainly South and West Yorkshire.

Which version is the one in York?

Wenzels bakers is only in the south, as far as I am aware, I miss their Belgian buns..

Wenzels the bakers , only see them around West London and West of London.

Wenzels are expanding rapidly. As recently a# last year their most northerly branch was St Albans. Now they are in Luton, Stevenage and Aylesbury. Also Reading, Portsmouth, Chelmsford and Southend.

Simmons bakery is a smaller chain, exclusively in Hertfordshire. They have a big shop next to their ‘central’ bakery in Hatfield, and I often wonder if the cakes there are that little bit better, being the Bakery version of the brewery tap.

Edit, how odd, two mentions of Simmons a couple of minutes apart!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Talking of bakers, Sayers is a Liverpool thing whereas Greggs is everywhere.

 

[dgl]

Also on the bakers front there is the small Mortimers chain in Somerset, might be the odd one in North Dorset but the branches they had in Dorchester and Weymouth closed.

 

[James H]

What is the most southerly branch of Booth's?

When AmazonFresh stores opened in London, they sold some Booths own-brand products (alongside Amazon-branded items and Morrisons products). Not sure if they still sell them.

 

[ChrisC]

That must be a few years ago. When exactly are we talking, early to mid 2000's?

Believe Waitrose opened a store in Durham in November 2005, which is now 17+ years ago!

I can’t find the date when Waitrose in Newark opened but I have found out that it remained their furthest north branch until 2003.

 

[Richardr]

When AmazonFresh stores opened in London, they sold some Booths own-brand products (alongside Amazon-branded items and Morrisons products). Not sure if they still sell them.

They certainly still sell them online.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What is the most southerly branch of Booth's?

When AmazonFresh stores opened in London, they sold some Booths own-brand products (alongside Amazon-branded items and Morrisons products). Not sure if they still sell them.

That's as may have been, doesn't exactly make it a bona-fide branch of Booths, though.

 

[James H]

Indeed not - but it does mean you can buy Booths’ bacon well south of their traditional territory.