Archive of all AF Blakemore articles – Page 10

  • News

    Second foodservice depot for Blakemore

    2010-03-13T00:00:00Z

    AF Blakemore has bought a second foodservice depot as part of plans to double the size of its foodservice business.The 80,000 sq ft depot in Oulton, Leeds, is being renovated to give it a multi-temperature storage capability and is set...

  • News

    Tates takes two off The Co-op to grow

    2010-02-27T00:00:00Z

    Tates has bought two stores from The Co-operative Group and will turn one of them into its third Eurospar store.AF Blakemore's retail arm will spend £250,000 converting the sites in Wales, which became available when the Office of Fair...

  • Profiles

    Blakemore’s Liptrot exits after one year

    2010-01-16T00:00:00Z

    John Liptrot has left his job as sales director for the delivered wholesale business at AF Blakemore after just over a year in the post.Liptrot, formerly MD of the now defunct buying group Key Lekkerland, is taking up the role of MD of...

  • BOOZE
    News

    Duty fraud results in 40% booze sales loss

    2010-01-16T00:00:00Z

    Angry wholesalers are demanding the government takes drastic action to combat duty fraud and have released figures to show the "devastating" impact the worsening problem is having on their businesses.

  • THRESHERS
    News

    KPMG hands back the keys to 480 Threshers

    2010-01-09T00:00:00Z

    The administrator of First Quench Retailing, which ran Threshers, The Local and Wine Rack stores, is to hand the keys back to the landlords of 480 Threshers stores. KPMG had appointed property agent Christie & Co to sell the stores,...

  • News

    The Thresher chest

    2009-12-19T00:00:00Z

    First Quench Retailing may have gone, but its customers haven't. What should c-stores be doing to take advantage? Graham Holter reports

  • News

    Blakemore appoints ex-Somerfield man as trading director

    2009-10-10T00:00:00Z

    AF Blakemore has appointed Mike Boardman as trading director, replacing David White, who retired due to ill health.Boardman joins from Somerfield, where he was head of ambient trading, following the supermarket group's acquisition by The...

  • News

    New Blakemore depot fuels delivered growth

    2009-08-08T00:00:00Z

    AF Blakemore & Son is poised to become a fully fledged national delivered wholesaler after buying a new 83,000 sq ft depot for deliveries to national customers.Blakemore is to spend £700,000 renovating the former metal storage depot...

  • TESCO POUND SHOP
    News

    What is it about the round pound?

    2009-07-11T00:00:00Z

    Round pound deals seem to be everywhere these days. Peter Cripps asks why they have suddenly become so ubiquitous and just what is their appeal

  • News

    Prince Charles praises Peter Blakemore

    2009-06-27T00:00:00Z

    Prince Charles has made wholesaler Peter Blakemore one of his business ambassadors for his commitment to responsible trading.

  • News

    The £4bn duty fraud scandal

    2009-05-23T00:00:00Z

    The Government has announced new plans to crack down on duty fraud on beer. But it has also increased duty on cigarettes and alcohol - a move wholesalers fear will exacerbate the problem. So what can be done to stop the duty fraudsters, asks Peter Cripps

  • EUROSPAR
    News

    Eurospar format set to make its debut on the British mainland

    2009-04-11T00:00:00Z

    The first Eurospars are due to open on the UK mainland next month. Tates, the retail arm of AF Blakemore, which distributes for Spar in the Midlands and parts of Wales, will open a 5,000 sq ft store in Nottingham at the beginning of May and a...

  • News

    In the firing line

    2009-04-04T00:00:00Z

    Trade bodies have warned of a significant rise in retail theft, burglary and violence as a result of the economic downturn. So what steps are retailers taking to protect themselves and their staff, asks Kelly Smith

  • News

    The Big 30: Who's holding the best hand?

    2009-01-24T00:00:00Z

    The Grocer’s annual The Big 30 league table of Britain’s wholesalers reveals which companies have played their cards right over the past 12 months and which have been dealt a losing hand. Peter Cripps sorts the jacks from the kings

  • News

    Co-op talks to OFT over Lothian deal

    2008-12-20T00:00:00Z

    The OFT launched a consultation this week into whether The Co-operative Group's merger with Lothian Borders & Angus Co-op would reduce competition - in a move that could force the society to sell off yet more stores. The OFT said it would...

  • News

    Liptrot joins Blakemore to fuel delivered growth

    2008-11-29T00:00:00Z

    John Liptrot, the former MD of the now-defunct buying group Key Lekkerland, has joined AF Blakemore in the newly created position of sales director for the Spar distributor's wholesale division.Liptrot has worked in wholesale for more than...

  • News

    AF Blakemore approves Spar retailer loans

    2008-11-29T00:00:00Z

    Retailers are beginning to reap the rewards of a new loan scheme from wholesaler AF Blakemore for store refurbishments.Five applications to the Guaranteed Investment Scheme have been approved for loans, while a further 19 are in progress....

  • News

    AF Blakemore picks Carter to be its first marketing director

    2008-10-18T00:00:00Z

    Spar wholesaler AF Blakemore has appointed change specialist Jed Carter as its first marketing director. He joined this month from Asda where he was general manager of step change and also worked on the George brand relaunch. Carter said he wanted...

  • News

    The Green Issue: Can indies go green too?

    2008-09-20T00:00:00Z

    Backed by big budgets, the multiples have won a tidal wave of publicity with their environmental initiatives. But, asks Tracy West…

  • News

    Blakemore gives Spar store refurbs pledge

    2008-06-21T00:00:00Z

    AF Blakemore is encouraging independents to spend large sums on refurbishments despite the gloomy economic conditions. The wholesaler, which supplies 700 Spar stores in the Midlands and parts of Wales, has offered to underwrite...