PayPoint maverick Romesh Perera is set to open the London flagship store for Somerfield’s new franchise scheme for independent retailers.

Perera, who also has a Costcutter store and formerly ran a Budgens Local franchise store, has scheduled opening of the new Somerfield Essentials for June 29.

It will be a new build store just under 3,000sq ft at a high
street site in Palmers Green, Enfield, north London.

Perera said the new store would offer the full Somerfield range and would look no different to the company-owned stores. He said: “This is the way forward for independent retailers. With Tesco coming to the high street, we have to fight back if we are going to survive.”

Somerfield is providing the store fascia and IT support as well as its full franchise package. Norman Kears, Somerfield’s business director, franchise recruitment, said: “This is our first Somerfield Essentials franchise within the M25 circle and we are delighted to be working with Romesh.”

The store will be the second franchised Essentials store following a trial site at Heacham in Norfolk.

Perera hit the headlines earlier this year when PayPoint turned off his terminal after he imposed a 10p surcharge on transactions because he said the low commission on utility payments meant it cost him money to provide the service for his customers.

However PayPoint said it had a contractual obligation to the utility companies it served to provide the service free of charge to customers.

PayPoint tried to persuade Perera that he would be able to make a profit but couldn’t reach agreement with him and has now removed the terminal.
John Wood

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