neal tarr sainsburys bristol

The store is currently undergoing a refurbishment. What’s changing? It started about four weeks ago and is due to finish in August, adding a 4,000 sq ft Argos with 7,000 SKUs, 1,000 sq ft Specsavers, new refrigeration equipment, new food counters and a redecorated café. While it’s going on it’s vital staff know where products are so customers’ shopping experiences are as straightforward as possible.

How has your role changed since the management restructure? I was a deputy store manager prior to the changes. It has brought more responsibility, such as effectively running the store, with store managers ­having so much on their plates.

What lines are selling well in the sunny weather? We had a new range of spirits launch last week, including eight new gins, which are flying off the shelves. Clothing is also doing well, as well as picnic ware and camping equipment ready for the ­festival season.

Has the store been affected by the CO2 shortage? Luckily we’ve not been impacted so far. Our soft drink lines, for instance, are in plentiful supply.

What makes great customer service? It’s about going the extra mile for customers and always putting them first - our employees are great at this.

How have staff and customers reacted to the merger with Asda? Of course, there’s a little bit of uncertainty around jobs but it’s been very positive overall. Plus we’ll hopefully be able to offer customers some great deals through the merger.

What’s the best thing about your job? No two days are ever the same and a lot of different skills are required. One of my favourite parts of the role is different types of problem-solving, and delivering the most seamless customer service possible so customers enjoy shopping with us. This means ensuring tills are well-manned, the ranges are right and the café is working efficiently.

Winner: Sainsbury’s Winterstoke Road, Bristol

Duty manager: Neal Tarr

Opened: 1992

Size: 52,000 sq ft

Market share: 15%

Nearest rivals: Iceland - 0.2 miles, Aldi - 0.5 miles, Lidl - 0.8 miles

Store data source: Analysis by CACI. Call the market planning group on 020 7602 6000