Winner: Morrisons, Bridge Street, Dover
Store manager: James Glover
Opened: 2010
Size: 24,500 sq ft
Market share: 25%
Nearest rivals: Asda - 0.4 miles, Iceland - 0.4 miles, Aldi - 0.7 miles, Tesco - 4.3 miles
Store data source: Analysis by CACI. Call the market planning group on 020 7602 6000
The store is 10 years old next year. How long have you been here? It was a former B&Q store. I was a duty manager here when it was opened. I started when I was 16 in Folkestone at what was then Safeway and I’ve been with the company for 21 years. It’s been a really positive experience and the company has given me a lot of support.
How have customers reacted to the plans to use 20p paper bags at the checkout? We have had a huge amount of customer feedback regarding the plastic issue. We speak to customers every week who are very supportive of moves such as having paper bags for produce and are really pleased the new paper bags are coming. This is definitely an issue our customers feel very strongly about and they are pleased we are reacting to it.
What about Brexit? How has the delay gone down in Dover, considering it’s on the front line? If I’m being honest I haven’t had one conversation about it with customers. Although it’s been dominating the news, it’s not something that’s been raised with me on the shop floor.
What’s your favourite Easter product? Myself and my daughter are huge fans of Game of Thrones so it has to be the dragon egg. It’s the second year we’re selling it and I’m sure it’s going to be a huge seller.
You have a new shopping centre that’s opened just a few minutes’ walk away. How has that affected the store? The new centre has an Iceland and an M&S. But we already had an Asda, a Farmfoods, a Poundland and other shops all next to the store, and it’s always about keeping the focus on what we are doing and trying to keep availability where we want it to be.
What do you see as the most important job of the store manager? I like to feel I provide the fine tuning. I’ve got a very good, experienced team with good skill levels - I just need to make sure everyone is working as smoothly as possible.
No comments yet