You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image
A “large amount” of money discovered in a Christchurch suburb in December has still not been claimed
A member of the public discovered the cash on December 19 in Somerfield and handed it into police
Police then posted a plea for information on Facebook
police told Stuff they could not say how much money was involved nor provide the circumstances of the discovery
saying those details would help prove ownership - if the rightful owner came forward
I can tell you the owner has not yet been found,” a police spokesperson told Stuff
“If the cash isn’t claimed after a period of time
it is returned to the person who found it.”
The “rightful owner” could still come forward to claim the money by calling 105 and using the file number 241220/3918
Police have said previously that people who do not hand something in
Photo / Supplied- A young Christchurch family lost a bidding war for a bungalow after initially being the sole bidders
leading to a bidding war that raised the price to $845,000
while the vendor was moved by the life-changing sale
The sale of a Christchurch bungalow this week had everything: excitement
joy and heartbreaking tears following a dramatic turn of events that no one in the auction room could have predicted
A young Christchurch family thought they had the home of their dream in the bag
They were the only ones bidding on the three-bedroom property on Tainui Street
They placed two bids against the vendor before the auction paused for negotiation
the vendor eventually agreed to declare the house on the market at an agreed price of $800,000
Families fell in love with the three-bedroom home in good school zones
Harcourts Gold listing agent Andrea Rickerby said both parties thought the sale was done and dusted
The only thing left to do was to put the new price to the auction and bring the hammer down
What neither of them knew was that during the pause for negotiations
They had quickly sorted out their paperwork and were preparing to join the auction via phone
Harcourts Gold auctioneer Mark Morrison reopened the auction and an almighty bidding war erupted
The price of the home went up in tiny increments over the next 20 minutes
- Kiwi expat buys Auckland home for $12m-plus after flying visit
- Boarding house with $3m CV for sale for first time in 22 years
- Half-finished mansion next to NZ’s richest family snapped up
The young family eventually dropped out and the house sold to the phone bidders for $845,000
Rickerby said the result was “devastating” for the under-bidders
explaining that they had set their hearts on the home
The bungalow had retained many of the original features including fireplaces
stained glass windows and Bakelite doorknobs
“It was a beautiful character home in a heritage overlay street
It was gorgeous – just a good family home that had been well-loved,” she said
The $845,000 she got for her home was “life-changing”
She was also pleased that her home of 20 years was going to another family
Rickerby said she was now working with the underbidders to help them find another dream home
- Click here to find more properties for sale in Christchurch
Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news
You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site
You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker)
we are relying on revenues from our banners
So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks
Somerfield Farms is thrilled to announce the appointment of Tom Smith as Vice President of Sales
a seasoned industry leader with over two decades of experience
leaves his long-time role as Director of Sales at California Giant to take on this pivotal role.During his tenure at California Giant
Smith played an instrumental role in driving significant sales growth
and nurturing strategic partnerships across the fresh produce industry
His leadership and vision made him a trusted figure in the space
and his transition to Somerfield Farms marks an exciting new chapter."Somerfield Farms is not just another opportunity—it's a chance to be part of something truly special," said Tom Smith
and dedication to customers and growers alike align perfectly with my own
I look forward to working alongside this talented team and contributing to the next phase of growth and success."
FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 FreshPlaza.com
Support quality, independent, local journalism…that mattersFrom just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today
A former supermarket building which was once earmarked for a major redevelopment has been sold at auction for £125,000
Part of the old Somerfield building at Blackwood’s Market Place could now be turned into flats
it is understood no planning applications have been submitted to the council at this stage
was originally listed at a starting price of £100,000
four “eager” bidders were looking to secure the unit with 22 bids in total
who was handling the sale for Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions
said: “The versatile space offers excellent development potential
with pre-drafted architect’s plans for conversion into 20 to 25 residential flats alongside a 4,500 sq ft retail unit ideal for a flagship shop
“There are also architects’ plans showing the potential for development of 47 flats on the site.”
Part of the site was redeveloped into a gym after planning permission was approved by Caerphilly Borough Council back in 2017 and this is unaffected.
There was also a planning application submitted in 2019 to redevelop the site into 47 flats and an artisan market
Private developers Faro Capital were behind the redevelopment
Support quality, independent, local journalism…that mattersFrom just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.Become a member today
ADDISON ― People from all over are flocking to the borough to see the remains of a bridge and town that long ago was a hub of activity and was even visited by U.S
"I get chills thinking that I walked on the same bridge as George Washington did," said Kim Hamilton
as she walked across the exposed bridge surface Oct
The Great Crossings Bridge can be seen because dry conditions this year have caused the low water level of the Youghiogheny River Lake
Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District
Byrne said this isn't the lowest the lake has been
Also visible are the foundations of houses and buildings that were once part of the town of Somerfield until the mid-1940s when the government bought the land and 176 people were forced to move
More: Property transfers listed by the Somerset County Recorder of Deeds for Oct. 21-15
Yough River LakeThe Youghiogheny River Lake
is now a recreation area that is 16 miles long and managed by the U.S
It is considered one of the premier water sports and boating lakes in southwestern Pennsylvania
It is a tourist attraction that brings in more than 1 million visitors a year
said she's come to the Yough to go boating for years
More: Low water level at Yough River Lake exposes Somerfield remnants
"I don't think I've ever seen it this low," Linda Johns of Confluence
said of the water level of Youghiogheny River Lake
I don't remember seeing to the third arch."
Johns pointed out various places and foundation remnants where she said businesses used to be
such as the Cornish Hotel and a barbershop
More: Mount Union Cemetery, Ream Cemetery official locations for Wreaths Across America Day
"My grandfather brought me here when I was a little kid
He said he helped to work on it," said Dessiree Lytle
as she pointed to the exposed building foundations
"I wish I would have paid more attention to what he was telling me."
Johns and Lytle were at the exposed area of the lake Oct
The women pointed out the remnants where Somerfield's sidewalks along with the stumps of the trees that used to line them
Byrne said it would take at least 5.6 inches of runoff from snow melt and rainstorms to get the lake back to its regular depth
The Great Crossings Bridge with three arches is 375 feet long
it was built between 1813 and 1818 by James Kinkead
at an event attended by President James Monroe
According to the Youghiogheny River Valley History Facebook page
Somerfield was located at the "Great Crossings" of the Youghiogheny River
a waterway George Washington crossed on Nov
Washington again camped along this river with his forces
a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War
crossed at the Great Crossings waterway with his army on June 24
Philip Smyth laid out the town in 1818 as Smythfield
but the name was changed because there already was a Smithfield in Fayette County
Somerfield grew with the National Pike highway
More: DCNR urges caution to prevent brush and wildfires
By 1893 when the town was formally incorporated as a borough
a tannery and flour mill and an elementary school
according to the Old Petersburg-Addison Historical Society's Facebook page
from an article written by Frances Borsodi Zajac
President Zachary Taylor passed through Somerfield
Herbert Hoover supposedly dined at the Hook's Department Store and Restaurant as an ex-president
President William McKinley spent six weeks in Somerfield each summer at the Youghiogheny Hotel
pushed for a flood control dam at Confluence to be developed in 1940
The new dam destroyed 10 villages including Somerfield
Bryne said the Army Corps of Engineers is pleased at the interest the exposed bridge and area has created
"It's a unique piece of history to see," he said
"It's great to see the community interacting with history
The Corps of Engineers does hope that people are staying safe while they are visiting."
Madolin Edwards has been a journalist at the Daily American for 37 years
Contact the Daily American reporters at news@dailyamerican.com
Rob Somerfield (second right) with his wife Linda (second left)
their daughter Kate and their nephew Fraser Clarke and the five awards he won for his roses
Tauranga rose breeder Rob Somerfield has done it again: Like in 2019
he cleaned up the New Zealand Rose of the Year awards
winning the Pacific Rose Bowl for the seventh time and claiming four of the seven other awards
Somerfield won the Pacific Rose Bowl for the New Zealand Rose of the Year for his rose Strawberry Blonde
the public voters seemed to have had a special sweet spot for his rose Ink Spot which took out the Best New Zealand Raised Rose
Best Floribunda Rose and Children's Choice Awards
The annual New Zealand Rose of the Year rose trial is the key part of the Pacific Rose Bowl Festival
organised by the Pacific Rose Festival Trust
The festival and trials are held at the Rogers Rose Garden at the Hamilton Gardens
where all the roses are still on display if you have not seen them yet
Somerfield also won the Best Hybrid Tea Rose for Tabasco
He says he "never expected" to win so many awards
"There is always a bit of luck involved [and] some of it is timing
Some [roses] look good now but not so good next week," Somerfield says
last time I've seen it there weren't many flowers..
[but] a couple of hot days made the flowers pop."
The Pacific Rose Bowl is the only rose trial in the world that has a public voting system
all others are being judged by panels of experts
It's important to me being judged by the people because they are the ones that are buying the roses," Somerfield says
The Best Shrub Rose went to the David Austen rose Princess Anne
an English-bred rose introduced by Matthews Roses of Whanganui
The Most Fragrant Rose went to The Chelsea Rose from Mike Athy of Gisborne and the Best Climbing Rose went to Cream Passion by Doug Grant
Somerfield says he entered between 10 and 15 roses into the competition this year and couldn't name a favourite
"I find it quite hard [to name a favourite]
it's like asking which child is your favourite
He says it was about a 10-year process from the seed crossing to selling the first rose
Somerfield has been breeding roses for 39 years and credits his grandfather with getting him into roses
"My grandfather used to be a dairy farmer in Motueka and he loved roses
He planted them all around the cow shed and as a 6 or 7-year-old
Together with his wife Linda, Somerfield runs his rose nursery Glenavon Roses in Te Puna which grows around 55,000 roses a year for the wholesale market
Somerfield says he has "the best job in the world"
"I love creating something that people enjoy
Somerfield received the award from Maria Winder-McGredy
daughter of legendary New Zealand rose breeder and moving force behind the festival
had already won the Best New Zealand Raised Rose 2018 and the Children's choice award in the same year
Strawberry Blonde is named after Somerfield's wife's grandmother who he never met
"She had [ginger] hair and when I saw the rose for the first time I said
just like nana's hair' and Rob liked it because he hadn't heard that expression before," Somerfield's wife Linda says
The name Ink Spot comes from Somerfield's primary school shenanigans
I was one of the ones that used to flick ink around when the teacher wasn't looking."
The Ink Spot rose is predominantly white with a dark purple spot around the stamen
Somerfield has a history of cleaning up the Rose of the Year Awards
He last won the title Rose of the Year in 2019 for Everlasting Hope which then also won the Best Shrub Rose title
he also won Best Hybrid Tea Rose for Diamond Design and Most Fragrant Rose
and Best Floribunda Rose both for Skyla Rose
Somerfield's rose Little Miss Perfect won the Rose of the year and Best Floribunda Rose titles
This year's festival and trial are the trust's 20th
after it had to take a Covid break last year
Pacific Rose Festival Trust chairwoman Eileen Wilcox says Somerfield was "without a doubt" New Zealand's top rose breeder
[legendary New Zealand rose breeder] Sam McGredy always encouraged him..
Not all roses in the Rogers Rose Garden are open to the public vote
Roses stay in the trial for about five years before they get taken out
Once a rose has won the Rose of the Year title
but it can repeatedly win the other awards
The Pacific Rose Festival Trust wants to thank its sponsors Trust Waikato
COGS (Community Organisation Grants Scheme) and Creative Waikato for their support
'The team have nailed it – it’s a strategy that everyone can understand.'
Sign In
Register
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our husband
at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre on Thursday
Gary George Somerfield was born November 11
Gary considered himself a Montreal Canadians fan partly because of his French beginnings but also the influences of an already avid Habs fan (his dad) in the house
He was the eldest of 4 children and 1 of over 50 cousins from both his mother’s and father’s families
Gary spent much of his early life moving throughout Canada as the son of Airforce parents
British Columbia and eventually to staying in Thunder Bay at the beginning of High School
Gary attended a variety of high schools in Thunder Bay and ultimately graduated from PACI in 1976
Following high school Gary attended Confederation College for a diploma in marketing and eventually followed his love of history to study at Lakehead University
He received his Bachelor of Education Degree in 1986 majoring in history with a minor in English
His career path of teaching took him to many high schools across the city
always trying to instill the same love of history that he had in his students
He made lifelong friends at many of the schools he taught at until his retirement in 2014
Gary worked at European Meats as the Receiver in the back of the shop
He loved this job and the people he worked with and met in day-to-day interactions
He felt blessed and was grateful to be a part of this business
They fell head over heels quickly and were engaged by April of 1998 with a December wedding planned for the same year
The early part of their marriage saw the purchase of a small house
who quickly became the apples of Gary’s eye
Gary’s patience was boundless when it came to his children
he had a gentle side that would attempt to correct any wrong doings or inappropriate behaviours
Hours were spent playing with them in younger years downstairs in the basement creating museum replicas as well as building forts outside or even in the living room. In later years
Gary was always willing to play taxi driver whenever either one needed a ride and to any place they wanted to go
He enjoyed hearing each one talk of their days and would quietly smile at the different adventures they would have encountered
and he would do anything to protect and provide for them
He enjoyed the many hockey evenings he hosted inclusive of food
beverages and banter should a Bruins or Leafs fan be in the company
He treasured his time on the links with golfing friends at a variety of courses throughout the city
He loved his church family where he served as a greeter
usher and snow shoveller worshiping the Lord God with all his heart who had redeemed and saved him from an eternal death
Gary’s final gift of love to people was being an organ donor through the Trillium Foundation/Organ donation chapter in Thunder Bay
doctors and staff at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Intensive Care Unit
Your kindness and skills made a difficult time less painful
Gary was predeceased by his father George (2011)
and nephew Timothy Jewell (2005). He leaves to mourn his wife Michelle
Nieces and nephews Colleen and Erik Mikkelson
A funeral service will be held on Saturday
Ontario with a reception to follow in the Austin Stouffer Fellowship Hall downstairs
charitable memorial gifts may be made to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre ICU Ward
MEMO (Medical Equipment Modernization Opportunity)
Condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger says central government will get more houses if it guarantees funding for local-led community projects
Housing Minister Chris Bishop unveiled Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust (ŌCHT) and Ngāi Tūāhuriri's first mixed housing project in the suburb of Somerfield in Christchurch on Wednesday
The 40 Carey Street homes consist of affordable rentals
community houses and gradual home ownership
Ten of them would be for Ngāi Tūāhuriri whānau
The whole complex has been built like a micro-neighbourhood
centred on a green space with picnic tables and a basketball half court
we have 11 public houses in here that are two
single social housing units built in the 1940s
That's quite a lot of new housing stock coming on the market."
The project had been built in roughly six months
"Our challenge is the start-stop nature of funding
it's been like that since we were created eight years ago
Barriers included supply chain shortages and the amount of social or community housing allocated by central government to Christchurch
said it had aspirations "to do a lot more" and continue the new partnership with ŌCHT
"That was one of the key messages for the Crown today
that the community can take responsibility
Ngāi Tūāhuriri was pleased to see the project come to completion and hoped to see more follow on from it
Christchurch City Council had another five areas of vacant land the same size as the Carey Street project that it wanted to develop with ŌCHT
"All we need is the government to help us fund them
And we know for a fact that we're building these buildings for just under half the price per square metre as Kāinga Ora
give us the money and we can build double the houses," he said
The next step was to expand ŌCHT to provide its services to Greater Christchurch
"We want to have it that the Waimakariri and Selwyn districts can just latch onto the side
they'll have to start up a whole regime of their own," he said
let some of their guys join the board and share the love around."
"In Budget 2024 we re-allocated money from first home grants and put it into new social housing places
so 1500 new social houses from 2025 to 2026 and onwards," he said
has confidence about the pipeline for the future."
Projects like Carey Street were the future of community and affordable housing
"Gone are the days where you build social housing in one part of the city or the neighbourhood and just leave people to it."
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development would outline where the 1500 houses would be built and the criteria used to work out their location by the end of June
Skyla Rose of Glen Avon Nurseries won the NZ Rose of the Year and the Best NZ Bred Rose
Tauranga rose breeder Rob Somerfield remains the reigning rose champion
winning the Pacific Rose Bowl for the second year in a row
It is the ninth time he has won the award for the New Zealand Rose of the Year
The awards were held at the Hamilton Gardens last week
The winning rose was special to Somerfield as it has been named after Tauranga girl Skyla Rose Keating
after a battle against a rare brain tumour
Her family approached me shortly after her death and asked if I would name one of my roses after her.”
“Her family picked the rose out of my trial beds at the nursery
I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose a child
Skyla Rose also won the Best NZ Bred Rose title and Somerfield’s Centurion won the Best Floribunda Rose this year
Somerfield said even though he has won so many times
being announced as the winner again this year was special
I haven’t been counting [how many times I won]
there is no such thing as ‘just another win’,” he said
“The garden looked the best it has ever been
but I said to people I don’t know how they are going to pick
He said the NZ Rose of the Year trial was important to him because it is judged by the public
but it’s the public that is going to buy the roses.”
Skyla Rose has been previously recognised in the awards
Image 1 of 7: Hamiltonian Anna Kytmanova was one of over 800 people that voted for the New Zealand Rose of the Year
Pacific Rose Bowl Festival director Ralph Evans said the festival was not only busier than last year but also had more votes cast
“Around 3500 people came through this year
Seeing the look on people’s faces as they entered the garden and smelled the roses was quite special
You could just see them relax and smile,” he said
and we had a higher proportion of children’s votes - which is nice to see because they are the next generation of rose breeders
The kids have taken the voting quite seriously
The festival has come of age this year as it celebrated its 21st anniversary
Somerfield has a history of cleaning up the Rose of the Year Awards. He won the title Rose of the Year last year for his rose Strawberry Blonde and in 2019 for Everlasting Hope which then also won the Best Shrub Rose title
he won Best Hybrid Tea Rose for Diamond Design
Somerfield’s rose Little Miss Perfect won the Rose of the Year and Best Floribunda Rose titles
He also won the Rose of the Year titles in 2011 and every year between 2013 and 2016
He has been breeding roses for 40 years and runs the rose nursery Glenavon Roses in Te Puna together with his wife Linda
Somerfield said he usually releases between one and three new rose varieties a year
but they are so difficult to maintain.’ I want a rose that people don’t have to do much with
The most important thing for that is a healthy plant.”
Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton
She joined NZME in 2021 and is writing for the Waikato Herald
Get the latest Waikato headlines straight to your inbox Monday to Saturday. Register for free today - click here and choose Local News.
Armed police have been called to a Christchurch park after a young bull got loose
NZ Herald Photographer George Heard saw it unfold at Somerfield Park on Thursday morning
"They're trying to control a bull that's got loose
I understand it has come down Barrington St
"They think it might have come from the A & P showgrounds."
Heard said police are waiting for Animal Control to arrive
The Herald has learned that the animal escaped from the showgrounds and made its way to the park - about 6km away
The steer took off overnight and it was noticed to be missing this morning
He said there are a lot of children walking to school who have stopped for a look
either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter
or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources
Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content
A historic 206-year-old bridge and town that are usually submerged have reemerged from a Pennsylvania lake due to severe drought conditions in the region
The Great Crossings Bridge, built in 1818 under President James Monroe, is normally about 50 feet underwater in the Youghiogheny River Lake in southwestern Somerset County. But low rainfall has caused the lake's water levels to drop significantly
"Crazy to see the Great Crossing Bridge at the sunken town of Somerfield," one Facebook user said
You could clearly make out the sidewalks and the main street
and some of the foundations of the buildings."
The bridge was once part of a historic national road
which connected the Potomac and Ohio Rivers
When the Youghiogheny River Lake was created in the 1940s
the bridge and the town of Somerfield were inundated
the bridge and parts of the surrounding town have resurfaced
attracting visitors from near and far to marvel at the rare sight
"Pretty impressive to see and walk on," another visitor said
while others noted that the bridge "is an amazing sight all because of the terrible drought situation in the area."
Rainfall has been sparse in the region of late
Fayette and Westmoreland counties subject to "severe drought" conditions
Currently 9.4 million people in Pennsylvania reside in areas of drought
though September was only the 35th driest year since records began in 1895
The historic bridge becomes visible when the lake level drops to 1,392 feet
and the full bridge deck is exposed at 1,384 feet
public affairs specialist for the Army Corps of Engineers
While the low water levels have disrupted some local businesses that rely on the lake
they have also created a surge of visitors eager to see the rare emergence of the 200-year-old bridge
Images of visitors in the hundreds have surfaced on social media
Forecasters are expecting some rain in the 10-day forecast for Somerset County
which could bring some much needed moisture to the area
The water level is expected to start rising properly again in December
so those who want to see the 206-year-old bridge and remnants of Somerfield in person will have to visit soon
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground
Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair
Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter.
Newsletters in your inbox See all
Although the Co-op plans to rebrand all the Somerfield stores it keeps
more than 100 of the 880 Somerfield outlets around the UK will probably have to be sold to larger rivals such as Tesco and Asda to satisfy the Office of Fair Trading's competition concerns
Morrisons along with upmarket chain Waitrose and frozen food grocer Iceland have also been tipped as potential interested buyers of individual stores
The long-awaited deal will cement the Co-op's position as Britain's fifth-biggest food retailer
Co-op chief executive Peter Marks described the acquisition as a "transformational deal" for the Co-op
saying it would give a major boost to the group's drive to double its profits over the next three years
"We will create a stronger fifth player in food and a convenience store chain with unrivalled geographic reach," Marks said
"There is a strong strategic fit between the two businesses."
Somerfield chief executive Paul Mason agreed: "The Co-operative Group and Somerfield have a similar focus in terms of customers
Marks acknowledged that the deal would throw up "some local competition issues," but was confident he would be able to work through them with the OFT
An OFT investigation looking into whether the acquisition creates competition problems could take months
Somerfield can trace its history back over 130 years
In 1875 J H Mills opened a small grocery store in Bristol
which had grown to a 12-store chain by the turn of the century
In the 1950s they were rebranded as Gateway stores
with the Somerfield name first appearing in 1990
It floated in 1996 and merged with Kwik Save two years later
After an ill-fated foray into home shopping with Somerfield Direct
and in 2005 it was sold to a consortium composed of the property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz
Barclays Capital and Icelandic bank Kaupthing for £1.1bn
Today's price is significantly less than the £2bn-£2.5bn the consortium had been hoping for when it put the grocery chain up for sale in January
The Co-op currently has 2,200 food stores and is owned by its 2.5 million members
By Emma Twyning2006-08-25T18:01:01+01:00
Somerfield is staging a two-week price bonanza on a wide range of its fruit and vegetables in a bid to increase consumption in the run up to the start of the autumn school term
Somerfield customers can buy a range of produce for half the normal price
The promotion will see many fresh produce items
reduced to under a pound including blueberries
head of produce said: “Somerfield has really got behind the 5 A DAY message and by offering great-value
half-price products to our customers we hope to increase awareness and participation in this category.”
Site powered by Webvision Cloud
By Kathy Hammond2008-04-02T11:23:44+01:00
Somerfield has announced a series of trials with Woolworths featuring fresh food lines
Somerfield plans to launch a convenience-focused food trial in up to three Woolworths stores within the next six months
Somerfield said Woolworths’ customers will be offered everything they would expect from their local Somerfield store
The other two trials will launch later this month and feature Woolworth’s concessions in Somerfield’s three largest stores
Range in eight of Somerfield’s largest stores to replace the grocer’s Wall of Value feature
“…Our food trial in Woolworths stores will create additional opportunities for our growth and further extend Somerfield’s market reach
helping deliver our ‘Britain’s favourite local grocery shop’ objective
“We will monitor these trials and will roll out the concessions through the relevant parts of our portfolio as they demonstrate their success.”
By John Broy2004-06-28T16:01:01+01:00
Somerfield is expected to announce a giant leap in profits this week as a result of it store refurbishment and cost-cutting programme
Analysts are expecting profits before tax and exceptional items of £38million - £40m
The supermarket has worked on improving its supply chain and reducing the number of depots to 16 from the 22 it had almost two years ago
It has also exited some of the loss-making Kwik Save stores and is converting some of them to the Somerfield format
same-store sales at Somerfield rose 2.2 per cent
while underlying Kwik-Save sales fell one per cent
In May the company reported a 1.1 per cent rise in annual like-for-like sales across the group
Executive chairman John von Spreckelsen attributed this to higher sales of own label products
as well as improvements to the shops themselves
A severe drought this summer has turned the once mighty Yough Lake back into the Youghiogheny River
and in doing so has revealed a more than 200-year-old stone bridge that’s become a tourist attraction with tens of thousands of visitors flocking to see it in recent weeks
The water level of Yough Lake situated between Fayette and Somerset counties has dropped to nearly historic lows
which has caused the Great Crossings Bridge rarely seen over the last 80 years to reemerge
along with remanants of the sunken town that was flooded in the early 1940s after the creation of the Yough Dam near Confluence
Dean and Dianne Ambrose traveled from their home in New Stanton on Wednesday afternoon and marveled at the unusual sight of the ghost bridge that is usually submerged under more than 50 feet of water during the summer months
“It’s been underwater all of these years and survived.”
Dean Ambrose was shocked to see how low the lake was
noting that it looked more like a small stream in some spots
But he was happy to have the opportunity to see the bridge and focused on the intricate stonework
including the keystones at the center of each of the three arches
“History from the past showed up all of a sudden.”
Michelle Hinerman of Rostraver used to fish along the shores of the Yough Lake
so she came Wednesday not just to admire the bridge
but also to see the shockingly low water level
before turning her attention to the bridge
The Great Crossings Bridge officially opened to the travelers on July 4
1818 with a ceremony that included President James Monroe and other national dignitaries
The 375-foot-long bridge constructed of sandstone was a major improvement as the federal government expanded the National Road
allowing people and goods to travel more easily through the mountainous region
The bridge spanned the Youghiogheny River connecting Somerset and Fayette counties and was still in use until the early 1940s when the U.S
Army Corps of Engineers constructed Yough Dam in nearby Confluence as part of federal flood control efforts in the late 1930s
The little town of Somerfield on the Somerset County side was taken through eminent domain and its 142 residents were relocated
The Daily American newspaper in Somerset marked the town’s demise with the headline “Somerfield doomed
according to the Somerset County Historical Society’s records
and the town was gradually flooded before the dam officially went into operation in 1944
While the town of Somerfield is mostly lost to history
road curbs and foundations of houses are still visible within the muddy lake bed
While the bridge makes an appearance every several years – the last time was in December 2019 when the water level dropped to 1,372.5 feet – the sheer amount of the structure now protruding above the water seems to be especially unique
According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s online hydrology chart
the water level at Yough Lake’s dam was just above 1,364 feet as of Friday afternoon and has dropped nearly 15 feet in the past month
exposing more of the bridge to visitors with each passing day
the minor flood stage level for the lake is at 1,468 feet
while Jockey Hollow’s boat ramp on the Fayette County side is no longer accessible at 1,419 feet
The lake usually lowers significantly during the winter months
but the drought in the region this summer has caused it to fall well below normal levels
the level has fallen below 1,362 feet four times in the past 80 years – most recently in December 1998 when it was at 1,361.34 feet – and this year could break into the top five of lowest levels if it continues to decrease as the NOAA hydrology chart is forecasting
All of this has attracted national and even international exposure to the area that has brought tens of thousands of visitors in recent weeks
“We’re always glad to see an interest in history,” said Jacob Miller
who serves as curator for the Somerset County Historical Society
“Something like this pops up and it sparks a lot of curiosity.”
But with that attention and influx of crowds
8 to close the bridge to pedestrian traffic
placing three concrete barriers at its entrance with signs warning people not to walk across it
The viewing areas around the bridge remain open to the public
although parking has been somewhat difficult to find on weekends with the rush of visitors
“The district understands the enthusiasm surrounding this rare opportunity to view a piece of history that seldom emerges from the lake,” said Col
who serves as Army Corps commander for the Pittsburgh District
the safety of our visitors is our top priority
Given the bridge’s uncertain structural integrity
we have made the decision to restrict access to the bridge.”
Some of the visitors Wednesday disregarded that warning as they walked to the end of the bridge where it disappeared into the muddy lake bed
While Army Corps officials said they “cannot guarantee its structural integrity,” the bridge still appeared to be in surprisingly good condition considering its age and having been immersed underwater for most of the last eight decades
One man commented about the construction quality and noted there were only a couple of potholes visible on the bridge’s paved road surface
“They’re not built like this anymore,” he said
A few hundred yards away along the Somerfield boat ramp that leads to the bridge
old newspaper clippings and historical photographs were displayed so visitors could see what the town and bridge once looked like before they were flooded
Martha Nedley of Clarksville and Susie Gunchuck of Deemston hunched over admiring the pictures as they prepared to walk toward the bridge to see the relic for themselves
“This is something you may never see again,” Gunchuck said
“It’s just really interesting,” Nedley added
If you have an account and are registered for online access
sign in with your email address and password below
Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe
Copyright © Observer-Reporter | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Send help right to the people and causes you care about
Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee
where the first sections were sold in January 1920
leads the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand’s latest breakdown of the top 10 locations in Christchurch in terms of median (mid-point) house prices
Huntsbury’s median house price surged from $550,000 to $830,000 – an increase of 49.5 per cent
Ray White auctioneer Tim McGoldrick said suburbs in the Cashmere High School zone – which includes Huntsbury and Spreydon – were proving popular
“Anyone who is wanting to maybe look at Cashmere High School
there’s good activity across the board,” he said
things are moving well and right across the region there seems to be a very good clearance rate
“People still want properties in good established areas
whether or not its buyers that are coming back from overseas to settle or investors getting back into the market who haven’t been able to travel.”
Edgeware was another big improver with the median price now $475,000
up 37.7 per cent from $345,000 in September 2019
Riccarton (26.3 per cent) and Burwood (25.1 per cent) also showed significant gains
Sockburn was the most sought after suburb with monthly sales jumping from 13 in September last year to 37 last month
That increased interest was reflected in median houses prices
Parklands was also a popular destination with 64 transactions last month
The REINZ sales data backs up figures the organisations recently released detailing a boom in property sales in the city and Canterbury region last month
The number of residential properties sold hit the highest volume since March 2016
as the real estate industry booms in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic
Median prices also spiked in Canterbury with an 11.1 per cent increase from $450,000 in September 2019 to $500,000
Christchurch’s median house price was $503,000 in September
Days to sell were also an indicator of the heat in the market
In Canterbury the current days to sell of 30 days is three less than the 10-year average for September
relaxed restrictions and high confidence in the market was driving the surge
Angela Stone from Harcourts said Covid-19 had made property ownership more appealing in these uncertain times
had really good conversations about each other and they’re like ‘Let’s find out dream home
“They are looking to the future and really wanting some security
owning a home certainly gives people that feeling of security.”
Christchurch’s top suburbs for median price increases September 2019 to September 2020:
By John Broy2004-03-20T10:01:01+00:00
Somerfield has confirmed its plans to expand into the convenience store market with the purchase of Scottish chain Aberness
said: “We have delivered our plans to expand our small store portfolio and our franchise operations.”
He said that Somerfield was determined to take part in the consolidation in the convenience store sector
which has seen Tesco snap up T&S Stores and Adminstore
owns and operates 36 convenience stores and has franchise arrangements with five further stores
The company also distributes groceries to 130 independent retailers
The company has net assets of £4.8 million
sales of £65.9m and made a pre-tax profit of £172,000 in the year to March 31
Somerfield plans to retain Aberness’s management team but is likely to convert the stores to the Somerfield Express format
The group indicated that the deal would enhance earnings by about £1m
Somerfield will also retain Aberness’s franchisees as part of a plan to build a national network
who had fantasies about killing young women
stabbed Lucy Yates around 21 times with a pocket knife
six weeks after being discharged from a mental health unit
he alighted and followed her into the Somerfield store at Littlehampton
Reid-Wentworth, who was also 22, was jailed for attempted murder under the Mental Health Act by a judge at Lewes crown court the following February and remains detained indefinitely at Broadmoor
Investigators looked at the care he had received from Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and found significant opportunities to assess the risk he posed had been missed
when he was admitted to psychiatric services after assaulting two women in separate incidents with a torch and a spray can
he scrawled "October 2007 serial killer was here" under a poster on his ward bedroom wall
Lewes crown court heard how Reid-Wentworth selected Yates as his intended target after having fantasies about drinking an attractive young woman's blood
He then launched what judge Anthony Scott-Gall described as a "horrific and wholly irrational" attack on Yates in front of stunned shoppers
Prosecutor Rob Hall said: "The defendant approached her from behind
took out a pocket knife of about nine inches and started stabbing Miss Yates repeatedly."
Reid-Wentworth went on to pin her down to the ground as he repeatedly plunged the blade into her
at first perceived it as a joke between two people who knew each other
When onlookers began to realise it was real
says: "Assessment of risk was incomplete and the potential seriousness of the two assaults on the women prior to admission was still not fully appreciated."
The third missed opportunity was when he was re-admitted to the acute mental health ward after the re-emergence of psychotic symptoms including thoughts of killing people
Mr Z had expressed dissatisfaction with his medication on a number of occasions and had asked to change it
The management plan at this stage contained no specific strategy to manage the increased level of risk of harm to others that Mr Z posed," the report says
In addition to the three "pivotal points" where opportunities were missed
there was also little evidence of staff attempting to establish a relationship with his mother
who was a very important part of his future care plan
director of nursing at NHS South of England
said: "It is important to remember that this attempted murder took place in 2008
"I want to emphasise that the learning and the improvement of services by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust began to take place as soon as the outcome of the initial investigation [by the trust] was known
"The outcome of this full independent investigation has continued to influence ongoing improvements."
Investigator Derek Mechen said: "We found that a number of mistakes were made in this case
"One of our key findings was that nobody in the clinical teams really understood the risks that Mr Z posed
"Although it was recognised at the end of September 2007 that Mr Z should be assessed by the forensic team
the locum consultant who carried out the assessment had no forensic training and was not a forensic specialist."
Mechen said there several warning signs about the risks Reid-Wentworth posed
including the assaults of the women in August 2007
the message scrawled on his wall in October that year and the discovery of a sharp piece of glass in his room the following month
He added: "Our report sets out 13 recommendations which
will improve the safety of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's mental health services
"These include developing their forensic services
reviewing patients whose diagnosis is uncertain every three months
training all staff with direct patient contact in risk assessment and management
and better liaison with patients' families and carers."
The relinquishing of a claim over the proceeds means yet another important Tchenguiz asset has been surrendered to Kaupthing administrators
It follows the forfeiture of major stakes in Sainsbury's and pub group Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) as well as privately owned businesses behind bar and restaurant chains Yates
The legal row over the Somerfield investment has dragged on for more than a year and
with parallel legal claims pursued in London and the British Virgin Islands
it is believed to have racked up a costly legal bill
TDT trustees Investec and Bayeux Trustees until recently had argued that the removal of the Somerfield stake from a collateral arrangement weeks after Kaupthing's collapse in October 2008 had been legally sound
They relied on claims that a verbal agreement had been struck during a dinner at Scott's restaurant in Mayfair earlier in the year
authorising the transfer of the Somerfield stake
Kaupthing administrators found no evidence of the alleged agreement
agreeing a settlement that saw them promise to release all Somerfield proceeds
to which neither Tchenguiz nor his R20 investment vehicle were defendants
had been due to go before a judge at the high court in London this week
a member of the committee overseeing Kaupthing assets on behalf of creditors
said: "This is a very satisfactory outcome for Kaupthing Bank."
Tchenguiz operations had been by far Kaupthing's largest borrower
receiving about €2bn (£1.6bn) in loans from the bank – a value equivalent to more than 40% of the bank's reported equity
In April an independent truth commission report for the Icelandic parliament called into question the bank's relationship between Kaupthing's former management and its largest client
to the extent that Tchenguiz's companies received it during times of liquidity crisis
was decided with the bank's best interests in mind," the commission found
"Rules about large risk exposures were not followed."
Tchenguiz is thought to accept he had a special relationship with the bank's management because he was Kaupthing's largest client
but is adamant that all lending to his businesses was conducted on banking terms
The British entrepreneur claims to be one of the biggest victims of Kaupthing's demise
Somerfield shares and loan notes had been shuffled around a complex web of British Virgin Islands-based vehicles controlled by the Tchenguiz Discretionary Trust
The move in effect removed the Somerfield stake from a basket of collateral pledged to Kaupthing
In its place administrators claimed they had found unsecured "payment in kind notes" maturing in 2038 – in effect
As well as about €2bn in loans to Tchenguiz businesses from Kaupthing granted in Reykjavik
a further €305m was advanced from bank subsidiaries in Luxembourg and the UK
Kaupthing regularly took minority stakes in Tchenguiz investments
and vehicles controlled by the tycoon had direct and indirect interests in Kaupthing shares
In 2005 Tchenguiz led a private equity buyout consortium that acquired stock-market-listed Somerfield
An agreement to sell the business to the Co-op for £1.56bn was reached in July 2008, completing in March last year
By Tommy Leighton2008-01-14T07:01:02+00:00
A report in Sunday’s Observer newspaper claims that Somerfield has been the subject of three takeover offers
The offers for the 900-store Bristol-based chain
valued at around £1.8 billion according to analysts
are all said to have been received in recent weeks
Somerfield is owned by a consortium headed by property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz
and also including private equity firm Apax and investment bank Barclays Capital
which took control in a £1.1bn takeover in 2006
One option is for the chain to be sold in chunks to the other major supermarkets groups
Tchenguiz is rumoured to be under pressure following a significant loss of value in his Sainsbury’s stockholding
But Somerfield refused to comment on the speculation
By John Broy2003-11-14T18:00:01+00:00
The Somerfield group has announced its second quarter results and executive chairman John von Spreckelsen believes that both its supermarket chains are enjoying sales growth with its recovery programme back on track
Sales in the period ending November 8 saw like-for-like sales rise by 1.4 per cent
against a 0.5 per cent increase in the first three months
The group is three-and-a-half years into its five-year turnaround programme and von Spreckelsen is confident that business will return to health on time
He said: "The performance of the Somerfield stores continued to improve
benefiting from good growth achieved from the refit programme
the Kwik Save investment programme has been rolled out to 32 stores in the first half of the year
Supermarket bucks trend with audio conferencing deployment
While research published today finds 47 per cent of business managers said their company did not allow remote or teleworking, supermarket chain Somerfield is saving money with the deployment of new audio-conferencing technology
The survey of 300 senior UK business managers, conducted by Dynamic Markets for Cisco
found that only 38 per cent said they allowed staff to work remotely or from home and only under certain circumstances
the experience of Somerfield shows remote working can boost productivity
Somerfield's head of sourcing and IT services said audio conferencing became an attractive option when its acquisition in 2005 by venture capitalists forced it to cut some 20 per cent out of its operational cost base
"We've got the big areas of work out of the way to achieve this, including outsourcing IT to Tata and changing network operators from BT to Vanco in the UK," said Heyes. Vanco introduced Ring2 and its audio-conferencing service to Somerfield
"Conference calling has always been a useful tool
but one that was not extensively used or tracked," he added
we've realised it can really drive performance and the impact of trading and in-store visibility
understanding business performance immediately as well as drive the lowest cost of ownership too."
Somerfield began holding virtual meetings for store and regional managers using Ring2's system
which runs on BlackBerry devices at the client end
They meet using the technology on a regular basis to discuss trading
promotions and any other general operational issues
while Heyes said board members often participate in meetings
especially those held around the key trading period of Christmas
"We've found it is a very good way of resolving immediate problems," he added
The Ring2 service gives call hosts remote control over adding or dropping participants
along with other security and visibility functions
And it provides Somerfield with detailed breakdowns of use to help it better track costs
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI
cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
"Other users couldn't provide us with reporting on our conference calls," Heyes said
having started car sharing along with the virtual meetings
we've taken 1 million out of the motoring budget
And we've already made a 700,000 net benefit with the system by taking waste out of our communications budget
Ring2 also had the customer service skills to understand what we wanted
work with us in a trial and make implementation changes at no extra additional costs."
Her role as a journalist has seen her write for many of the leading technology publishers in the UK such as ITPro, TechWeekEurope, CIO UK, Computer Weekly, and also a number of national newspapers including The Times, Independent, and Financial Times.
Thankfully when it happened for Angela Mount it was for all the right reasons
Here she gives her side of the story of having her taste buds insured for £10m.Initially Angela Mount had to be convinced that the PR campaign to insure her taste buds would succeed…
But I reluctantly went to meeting with Pete and Phipps PR to discuss the idea
and wanted to use me as a statement from the overall business to the consumer
how we punched way above our weight in terms of quality and value
how many wine accolades we had won.In those days Somerfield was starting to build a good reputation
but wanted to increase the focus on the quality angle
to ensure that everything olfactory was working perfectly
one of the weirdest challenges I have ever undertaken
It was rather like being back in a school exam room
The task was in essence a ‘scratch and sniff’ challenge
allspice.The second 25 gave me no clue other than ‘identify these smells’.I scored 48 out of 50
I don’t know the sum invested by the business
Nicky Forrest (head of Phipps PR) and Pete were still convinced the campaign had real mileage
and at best it would attract a little bit of local interest.The week before the campaign launched
I was hosting the celebrity theatre for five days at the Good Food Show
working with Gordon Ramsay and John Torode.Phipps PR sent a photographer up to take shots for their release – in hindsight
I wished I’d focussed a little more on hair and make up
but still didn’t believe much would come of the story
friends and colleagues about national media coverage
The interest in the story was staggering; Phipps and Pete Williams had been absolutely right
Every single national newspaper covered the piece
claiming that I had the most expensively insured body part in history
from the Financial Times’ “Retailer Somerfield insures top buyer’s assets” to The Sun’s “My mouth is worth more than J Lo’s bum” (which had recently been insured for £1million)
It seemed to me like a world gone mad and sensationalist
The media campaign made headline news across the national press
after five days of hosting six shows a day
The Today programme and Radio Five Live were clamouring for interviews
One of my abiding memories is that I was very glad I was 40 not 25
and took it in my stride; at 25 I would have been at risk of taking myself seriously and letting it all go to my head
But the impact was way beyond my expectations
and I congratulate them for their brilliance in directingthis campaign
under the guidance of Pete Williams.In many retail situations
individual buyers are not allowed to speak
or be presented as a public figure – it’s about the retailer
and there are currently several key buyers who are not allowed to speak to the press
Somerfield chose to take the publicity route
The media blitz was all part of the bid to raise Somerfield’s profile as a quality retailer
And the strategy worked.It was an entirely consumer-focussed campaign
although I invariably had to do interviews for the trade press also
including an in depth one with Margaret Rand
It was inevitable that a large proportion of the wine industry would mock this campaign
one of whom was very vociferous on the subject
but also I had to take a great deal of flack and teasing personally
which is why I was nervous about doing the campaign in the first place
sales showed the highest growth of any retailer for a six month period
We also had the support of key national wine writers
who constantly praised my range of Italian and Argentinian wines
The best part of my job had always been creating exclusive blends for Somerfield
such as a Champagne destined for Prince William
It received rave reviews.Those were the days
when there was arguably less focus on unique and bespoke own brand selections
We were confident in the quality of the own brand wines on the shelves;the national interest created
and consumers’ natural curiosity to discover great wines,with a focus on value
drove a massive increase in sales and resulted in wine being made the ‘hero’ category for the business for the next few years
but it certainly heightened my profile and visibility.But from a consumer perspective It had a strong impact
none more so than when I took the decision to leave Somerfield and set up my own consultancy business
which now includes a considerable amount of hosting at consumer and corporate events
and writing for consumer publications.I’m always introduced as ‘the woman with the £10million palate’
and this has certainly helped my profile in a more volatile and less secure business.The story crops up from time to time
The Buyer TVClick below to watch The Buyer's library of online debates, videos and webinars.
By Tommy Leighton2004-10-25T12:19:00+01:00
Morrisons has sold 114 of the smaller Safeway stores and a distribution centre to Somerfield for £260 million
The outlets are from the Safeway compact format
and will all be converted to the Somerfield fascia
Sixty-three of the stores are being sold directly to Somerfield for £115m
The other 51 stores and the distribution centre are being sold to a Barclays Bank joint venture which will lease them to Somerfield
"This disposal will allow us to concentrate on our area of expertise of running larger stores
and will help us to speed up the conversion process," said Morrison's joint managing director Bob Stott
"The sale of these stores means that we will be able to re-engineer our supporting infrastructure and achieve a much greater level of efficiency across our entire supply chain."
Somerfield's acquisition of the Safeway compact stores strengthens its presence in the increasingly-competitive convenience store sector
"This acquisition represents an excellent opportunity for Somerfield to grow its estate without a significant increase in gearing
and to capitalise on its proven expertise in operating smaller stores," said chief executive Steve Back
Somerfield also revealed its latest trading update
Like-for-like sales increased by 1.4 per cent at Somerfield stores
and by 0.2 per cent at Kwik Save outlets in the eight weeks to October 9
By Beth Brooks2014-06-08T11:26:00+01:00
Allan Leighton has led tributes to former Somerfield marketing director Jill Keen
who passed away on 27 May.Keen led Somerfield’s marketing from 2007 to 2010
She had worked in retail and grocery for 36 years at companies including Sainsbury’s
Asda and Mattessons.“Jill was a tough cookie and a real fighter but also one of the smartest people I know and behind the gruff exterior was a woman who really cared about people,” Leighton said
“She will really be missed by all those she touched.”Keen died peacefully
She is survived by her husband John Gray and their two daughters
A message left on LinkedIn said: “She lived her life to the full and enjoyed a successful career
More importantly she had an enthusiasm for everything she did that rubbed off on all her colleagues
to comment on this article
Learn moreExplore related questionsDiscover more about the topics that matter most
Browse our suggested questions or ask your own to find out more
By Tommy Leighton2007-02-23T08:01:02+00:00
A Worcestershire salad supplier has told FPJ that supermarket tactics are putting intolerable pressure on the supply chain
He urged suppliers to speak out to the Competition Commission or risk their future livelihoods
The multiples came under fire on national TV on the BBC1 series Shopping the Supermarkets
in which the leading salad producer lashed out at Somerfield for its “deplorable” treatment of suppliers
Nigel Drew at Worcestershire-based Hillhampton Salads
one of the three biggest producers of round lettuce in the UK and a Somerfield supplier for 26 years
claimed to have had firsthand experience of the “underhand dealings” conducted by the major retailers
He took his case to the Competition Commission through the National Farmers’ Union (NFU)
Drew told FPJ: “The tactics used by the supermarkets are putting an intolerable downward pressure on prices - the situation is unsustainable.” Hillhampton Salads
which was one of three suppliers of round lettuce to Somerfield
was asked to pitch for sole supply of round lettuce into the chain for the 2006/07 season
which would total some 200,000 boxes a year
He told FPJ: “To be in with the chance to supply 200,000 boxes a year is very good
but once we had got down to the price they were asking for it was arguable if we would have made any money on it
a five per cent retrospective rebate and a competitive price for the product,” he added
“We went back to them with a quote and we were told it wasn’t keen enough but
after we went back and forth three or four times
we were told the price was where they wanted to see it and it was just a case of rubber-stamping it
“But Somerfield then told the other two suppliers to base their quotes on mine
and they came back with their own offers,” he claimed
Hillhampton Salads was told that its offer was unsuccessful and the programme of supply was split between two marketing companies
Drew said this kind of process is causing “the gradual decimation of producers”
He said: “I was used as an instrument for prices to fall to an unacceptable level
“Somerfield suggested that if we wanted to continue to supply them then we should start up a relationship with one of the marketing companies
which are almost an extension of the supermarkets themselves
“Growers are being forced through intermediaries with up to a 10-15 per cent charge - and that’s your profit margin
On top of that we have seen no material increase in prices and large increases in transport
Drew urged suppliers to speak out about the situation: “People are very frightened to speak out because they live in fear of losing their businesses
The way Somerfield has behaved is nothing short of deplorable
But if no one says anything then nothing is going to change.”
Somerfield told FPJ: “The BBC documentary did not provide a true reflection of our relationship with the featured grower or with any of our fresh produce suppliers
“...the film did not make it clear that Somerfield had granted the grower a full 12 months additional business after he failed to win the contract to supply our business
“We are committed to supporting UK growers and farmers and to helping them build their businesses and sustained markets for their produce
Somerfield sources a high proportion of its fresh produce - currently 44 per cent - direct from farmers and growers
ensuring that we maintain a close relationship with primary producers - unlike many larger retailers.”
By Laura Gould2008-07-01T09:01:01+01:00
The Co-operative Group may buy supermarket chain Somerfield in a deal worth up to £2 billion from its private equity owners next week
The Co-op is expected to sell some Somerfield stores to rivals
A consortium including Apax Partners Worldwide LLP
Barclays Capital and the Tchenguiz Family Trust bought Somerfield in December 2005
By Tommy Leighton2005-06-09T12:01:01+01:00
Somerfield has teamed up with children's television favourites Tots TV to encourage healthy eating in young children
enjoy playing games and singing silly songs and they especially love eating bananas
So specially designed stickers advertising Tots TV will appear on packs of
Somerfield Small Bananas throughout the UK from June 15 for four weeks
Tots TV is a magical comedy about three best friends
who love to have adventures and explore the world around them
Tom enjoys singing and Tiny loves to explore
senior vice president global licensing and marketing at Ragdoll
award-winning producers of children's programmes including Tots TV and the phenomenally successful Teletubbies
said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to promote healthy eating to children
Tom and Tiny love bananas and we hope fans of the show will see their favourite characters on packs of the fruit
encouraging them to enjoy fresh fruit every day"
fresh produce category manager for Somerfield stores said: "My children loved Tots TV when they were younger and we are hoping that this campaign will be successful in attracting children to healthy products
We are looking into the possibilities of rolling it out to other fresh fruit and vegetables in the future."
Somerfield sells approximately 80,000 packs of small bananas a week
By Steve Farrell2024-04-26T09:01:00
The claim centres around the £500m sale of nearly 500 former Somerfield stores in 2015
Already have an account? Sign in here
Already have an account? Sign in here
This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks
The action you just performed triggered the security solution
There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase
You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked
Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.