Towpathlegend
proper brummie kid
did it open up as Fine Fare ?
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ASDA Queslett old Fine Fare and Gateway Supermarket site
- Thread starter Towpathlegend
- Start date
Yes there was a Fine Fare there. I doubt the Asda building is the same building though, most probably a new build on the site, or at least redeveloped.
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In 1985 it was opened as a superstore. Don't think there was a regular Fine Fare supermarket before that - the Superstore was built on the old Sandpits site.
By 1987 it had become a Gateway store.
Source: British Newspaper Archive
By 1987 it had become a Gateway store.
Source: British Newspaper Archive
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Eric Gibson
master brummie
I don't know about that site but later Gateway became Somerfield, Somerfield disappeared and their shops became B&M and Home Bargains, not much is static in the shopping scene.
Absolutely Eric. It seems Fine Fare frozen foods were taken over by Bejam. Remember them ?! From Wiki
Fine Fare was a chain of supermarkets which operated in the United Kingdom from 1951 until 1988. During the 1960s the company was the largest operator of supermarkets in Europe. Their Yellow Pack budget own-label range, introduced in 1980, was the first own brand basic range to be introduced in the UK and in 1983 it was the first British supermarket to sell organic food. The business for the majority of its existence was owned by companies controlled by Garfield Weston and his family, but were sold in 1986 to the Dee Corporation, operators of Gateway Foodmarkets with the stores being rebranded.
Fine Fare was a chain of supermarkets which operated in the United Kingdom from 1951 until 1988. During the 1960s the company was the largest operator of supermarkets in Europe. Their Yellow Pack budget own-label range, introduced in 1980, was the first own brand basic range to be introduced in the UK and in 1983 it was the first British supermarket to sell organic food. The business for the majority of its existence was owned by companies controlled by Garfield Weston and his family, but were sold in 1986 to the Dee Corporation, operators of Gateway Foodmarkets with the stores being rebranded.
Hadn't realised they started up in the 1950s. I remember the yellow pack FF brand. We usually regarded these products as 'inferior'.
Mark Tooze
master brummie
If I remember correctly it was 2 stores - a supermarket and a DIY store (possibly B&Q?). These were then demolished and the current ASDA store built at 90 degrees to these original stores. My better memories were from the 70's when it was still a quarry pit as we used to go fishing there, as the no 46 bus dropped you right by the hole in the fence........
An artist's mpression of the stor, prior to opening in March 1985.
Source: British Newspaper Archive
Source: British Newspaper Archive
Eric Gibson
master brummie
I'd left Brum in 1965 before all that happened, I do though remember drownings at the quarry.
Richard Dye
master brummie
I don’t even remember the Fine Fair name! I left in ‘62 so it was around then.