Asda have taken over Netto - Vaux site/Roker retail

[super-niall]

SUPERMARKET giant Asda is to create about 30 jobs on Wearside after clearing a major hurdle in its takeover of rival Netto’s UK operation.

The firm announced this week it had met the Office of Fair Trading (OFT)’s requirement to sell off a number of Netto stores nationwide in order to guarantee continued competition.

Subject to final regulatory approval, Asda will operate 19 Netto stores in the North East and will create up to 190 jobs in the region across its new and existing stores.

A spokeswoman confirmed today Netto stores in Pennywell, Ryhope and on Sunderland Retail Park would be rebranded as Asda, with an average of 10 new jobs created in each.

A store in Castletown has been sold to Morrison’s as part of the takeover deal.

Judith McKenna, Asda chief financial officer, who led the deal, said: “The good news for shoppers here in the North East is that there will be no premium to shop in one of our smaller stores. We will charge the same low prices you will find in any of our stores.”

After Asda’s initial announcement in May that it intended to purchase Netto’s UK stores, the OFT asked the firm to sell off 47 stores across the UK, including a number for which it had to identify a buyer upfront.

Eight Netto branches in the North East will be sold to rival retailers Iceland, Morrisons and Haldanes, who will continue to run them as food stores.

Only the Netto in Birtley remains unsold. Asda has said it will be selling this store in the coming months and it will continue to trade as normal in the meantime.

“Today is another key day in our plan to bring Asda to more customers in many more communities in the North East,” said Ms McKenna.

“We’re delighted that we’re one step closer to welcoming more than 200 local Netto colleagues into Asda, and look forward to welcoming many more in 2011.”

Could this cock up the purchase of Roker Retail park for Tesco and therefore Tesco would refuse to sell the Vaux site?

[All gone pear shaped]

Originally Posted by super-niall

Could this cock up the purchase of Roker Retail park for Tesco and therefore Tesco would refuse to sell the Vaux site?

I say let Tesco build a nice supermarket on the Vaux site because it'll look a lot better than what's there now and fck all else will be built by them useless c*nts.

[Tony_Montana1981]

Hasnt the land already been bought by ONE now? I imagine all of the units on the site will have been given closure notice by now? Will ASDA not just run it until the date of closure?

[super-niall]

Originally Posted by All gone pear shaped

I say let Tesco build a nice supermarket on the Vaux site because it'll look a lot better than what's there now and fck all else will be built by them useless c*nts.

And a massive supermarket will really help the retail core of Sunderland city centre.

[Mainze]

That will make the city centre stand out from the crowd...wonderfull

[Tony_Montana1981]

Originally Posted by Mainze

That will make the city centre stand out from the crowd...wonderfull

What will?

[The Mighty Mackem]

tbh, there is a lot of construction work proposed for in and around sunderland city centre in the coming years, be nice to see it start taking shape a bit.

[Bob Fleming]

Originally Posted by The Mighty Mackem

tbh, there is a lot of construction work proposed for in and around sunderland city centre in the coming years, be nice to see it start taking shape a bit.

Mate, proposals is pretty much all we've had for years now. Some small improvements here and there. No major developments where it is really required. No one here will believe anything now until it's built. All we have are promises, plans and nice models.

[EDGE]

Originally Posted by All gone pear shaped

I say let Tesco build a nice supermarket on the Vaux site because it'll look a lot better than what's there now and fck all else will be built by them useless c*nts.

What effect do you think this will have on the existing shops or have you not thought that far ahead?

[SW-Durham Mackem]

Surprised the gypsies haven't taken over the vaux site yet....

Its an absolute disgrace to have a town centre location like that in the state its in - after how many years since Vaux came down!

Theres towns in the third world seen more development ffs. Shocking.