Anyone remember the old Fine Fare Supermarket in Attercliffe around Mis 60'S?

Some of the staff who worked there will be intheir 70's or older now such as

Pat Scothern / Rita / Lynn / Susan and Mrs Mills, Pats daughter will be in her lates 40's callled Anita

I used to sell them Brooke Bond Tea. The manager I remember was Rod Taylor, with Mrs Mills in the office. She later became manageress

I worked at Fine Fare in Firth Park in the late 60's. Rod Taylor took over as manager there when the very camp Roger Coker emigrated to Oz. Rod must have married around '68 as I remember going to his stag do at the Bowling Alley above the store. (we knew how to party !!:rolleyes:)

I recall working some daft hours at the attercliffe store during a reorganization after Fine Fare bought Carlines out.

Any old staff on here from Firth Park?

Yup, I remember Carlines, opposite Attercliffe FineFare and also Rod being manager at Firth Park. The last time I saw him, he was managing FineFare in Retford, probably about thirty years ago.

I used to sell them Brooke Bond Tea. The manager I remember was Rod Taylor, with Mrs Mills in the office. She later became manageress


Hi Thanks for the reply, my mum was a checkout operator during that time with colleagues called Pat, Lynn, Rita I remember going to the shop as a little girl

Other store managers were, Mr Goodman and Mr Fletcher (I think)

i remember finefair on bocking lane, before woods markets bought it out

From 1966 to 1970 I worked at various Fine Fare Stores in the Sheffield area (mainly Firth Park, Woodseats, Parson's Cross, Rotherham and Attercliffe.) and I worked with both Roger Coked and Rod Taylor.

I also briefly met Roger Coker in Sydney in 1971.

i remember finefair on bocking lane, before woods markets bought it out

Yep and there was also one on Meadowhead run By Mr Barber, i think it changed into a Spar...

My mum was the first in the one on Heeley Bottom. She was given scissors to cut the ribbon, and Sammy Brook Bond the chimp was there, my mum let an almighty scream out and ran scaring the poor beast half to death, Imagine trying to bring a chimp amongst the public now

I can only remember the one on Prince of Wales Road next door to Wilkinson's chip shop.

Anyone remember the old Fine Fare Supermarket in Attercliffe around Mis 60'S?

Some of the staff who worked there will be in their 70's or older now such as

Pat Scothern / Rita / Lynn / Susan and Mrs Mills, Pats daughter will be in her latest 40's called Anita

i can remember the one at firth park what happened too them?

My mum was the first in the one on Heeley Bottom. She was given scissors to cut the ribbon, and Sammy Brook Bond the chimp was there, my mum let an almighty scream out and ran scaring the poor beast half to death, Imagine trying to bring a chimp amongst the public now

Out of intrest i wonder what year that was? There was a big clothes shop called fine ware further up towards queens road was this part of the fine fare group? This was later an Howells solicitors but im not sure if its still there.

Made famous by Peter Gabriel on the "Selling England" album

"Easy, love, there's the Safe Way Home."
- and, thankful for her Fine Fair discount, Tess Co-operates

The was a Fine Fayre on Crookes too, in the late 70's to early 80's.

Gosh yes I remember the Fine Fare and was there a Carlines across the road, I remember my mum being scared to put things in the basket without paying for them, fist supermarket she had known, bless her wish she was alive to see the Asda at Handsworth.

Coral water, are you still about? I may have some information

Anyone remember the old Fine Fare Supermarket in Attercliffe around Mis 60'S?

Some of the staff who worked there will be intheir 70's or older now such as

Pat Scothern / Rita / Lynn / Susan and Mrs Mills, Pats daughter will be in her lates 40's callled Anita

i worked at fine fare on attercliffe aeound1970 1ish am i the anita you mean i worked on produce with jessie wells

i worked at fine fare on attercliffe aeound1970 1ish am i the anita you mean i worked on produce with jessie wells

Hi soul sista,

Hi soul sista, was your mum Pat Scothern?
no i worked with rita' lynda jessie flo kev sharman was assistant manager and mr took was manager think his name was roger had a lot of sleep since then

Ah ok soul sista... ta for coming back quickly - I am trying to...

Just found this site which has brought back many memories. I started at Firth Park in 1968, eventually working in most of the Sheffield stores, Stavely, Rotherham and finally finishing at Wombwell in 1973. I remember particularly Bill Faloona and his "office"-The Homestead pub just down rhe road. Also remember Roger Coker,a real gent.

Andy,
I remember Bill Folluna very well and for about six months in 1970 I managed the Stag Rondabout store prior to emigrating to Australia. I also worked at Fine Fares in Woodseats, Crookes, Attercliffe, Parsons Cross and Firth Park (With both Roger Coker and Rod Taylor.

Hi Andy Miller, I remember you from Firth Park. I'm sure you lived in Wath as I seem to remember coming to your house once, maybe giving you a lift home.....cant quite remember...been a long time. I have a feeling you lived around HERE (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Wath-upon-Dearne,+Rotherham&hl=en&ll=53.497135,-1.340418&spn=0.018074,0.045447&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=18.441137,46.538086&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.497022,-1.340405&panoid=vjbJNrn7V-h1GSzzscin3A&cbp=12,86.65,,0,24.82)

Hi,Andy.Yes you are quite right Andy,you did run me home to Wath once. The photo of Marshall Grove was close to where I lived on Riley Road.Moved a time or two since - Rotherham,Wakefield and now Doncaster. Left FF for Hillards early in 1973 but didn`t like it and joined the Prison Service in October that year. Very nice to hear from you.

Hi Terry.I was at Stag Roundabout around `67-`68. Also worked at Woodseats with I think Tony Tuck, Attercliffe with Bill Wright, Heeley, Staveley, Wombwell with Chris Corker who later took over Firth Park and Armthorpe.Left in `73 for Hillards but didn`t like it and joined the Prison Service later that year.

"Fine Fare started in 1956 with just one supermarket in Brighton.

By 1962 it had 200 outlets.

It was acquired by Associated British Foods in 1963, who sold it to the Dee
Corporation in 1986 and re-branded as Gateway Stores.

Dee Corp eventually became Somerfield."

I can remember the day the Gleadless town end branch opened, but not the year, probably late 60s.

Andy,
I also worked with Chris Corker when he was at Firth Park and Tony Tuck at Woodseats.

Hi,Terry. Best job I had at Firth Park was working in the off-licence they bought in Bellhouse Road before they moved it into the supermarket.That would have been about 1971.Spent many an hour in there talking to the girl from the laundrette over the road. Happy days!!

Terry, your name rings a bell with me but I can't place you....brain scrambled. Do you or Andy Miller remember Tony Buckingham? Often wonder what became of him, he lived in a very nice cottage in Birdwell. Also remember Mr Firth(??) area manager who bullied me mercilessly all the time I worked there and then when I handed in my notice he came down to see me and told me that if I stayed I could be managing my own store within 2 yrs..... yeah right.

Also would like to mention the older lady who cooked the lunches for us, Dave the butcher who married one of the girls, I used to see them in Firth park WMC occasionally as Dave was on the committee. Frank, the warehouse manager, always good for a laugh. Joe who worked on produce. Also, a lady from Hoyland Common, who worked on produce, whose name escapes me, but I remember her telling me that a film crew were filming on their estate based on the book "A Kestrel for a knave"...... which obviously became "Kes".

John Martin and his brother, who were Saturday lads (and evenings). Dave Leese, who left to take over as soft furnishings manager at Banners.....wow the list goes on.

I remember Tony Buckingham`s name but I am afraid that is all,Andy. Also remember Mr.Firth as he gave me the off-licence job. I believe the cook at Firth Park had also worked at either Heathrow or Gatwick and claimed to have a special recipe for trifle.Had a night out with Frank once and stayed at his house overnight as I was playing football the next morning about a mile from where he lived. Had one hell of a hangover next morning but fortunately the match was snowed off. Remember the pub on a Friday night after work? I believe it was called the Wharncliffe Hotel.The one person I could not stand was the area manager,Mr. Baumber.Had one hell of an argument with him on the shop floor at Heeley after which I was sent to Chesterfield and demoted.Left FF 3 or 4 weeks later.Suppose I owe him really!

Anyone remember Vera who worked at Woodseats around 1970/72.

Would Vera have been in her 50`s then,dark hair,glasses and in charge of Fruit and Veg? If so I remember her although I was not there all that long. A friendly woman with a good sense of humour,I remember.

Remember the pub on a Friday night after work? I believe it was called the Wharncliffe Hotel.The one person I could not stand was the area manager,Mr. Baumber.Had one hell of an argument with him on the shop floor at Heeley after which I was sent to Chesterfield and demoted.Left FF 3 or 4 weeks later.Suppose I owe him really!

Yeah the Wharncliffe, a welcome pint or two after an 11 hour frantic friday. Baumber must have been after my time but I had a similar experience at Banners (Jackson/ Grandways supermarket). I managed the nonfood/hardware dept and at 19years old I knew everything lol. I was a bit rebellious to "company policy" and supported by the store manager I did things my own way (well, copying ideas from the big dept stores). The takings doubled in 12 months but the new area manager told me I must stop having ideas and tow the company line. Instead, I told him to shove it, I towed my ass into town, bought the Telegraph, phoned another job and started next day.... bit of a difference to these days :hihi:

Would Vera have been in her 50`s then,dark hair,glasses and in charge of Fruit and Veg? If so I remember her although I was not there all that long. A friendly woman with a good sense of humour,I remember.

Vera would have been in her 40's then, she was fair haired and didn't wear glasses, she lived in Meersbrook at the time, her husband was a driving instructor. She's now 88 and still very lively.

My mum worked at Fine Fare in the late 1960s 1967/1968 could have been 1969 as well, she would have been in her early 20s then with a lady called Margaret Coopland it would have been the one on Woodseats or near there because she lived in a flat on Albert Road in Heeley then that was when my mum and dad were first courting before they got married as they used to say in those days ha ha lol. :)

Terry, your name rings a bell with me but I can't place you....brain scrambled. Do you or Andy Miller remember Tony Buckingham? Often wonder what became of him, he lived in a very nice cottage in Birdwell. Also remember Mr Firth(??) area manager who bullied me mercilessly all the time I worked there and then when I handed in my notice he came down to see me and told me that if I stayed I could be managing my own store within 2 yrs..... yeah right.

Also would like to mention the older lady who cooked the lunches for us, Dave the butcher who married one of the girls, I used to see them in Firth park WMC occasionally as Dave was on the committee. Frank, the warehouse manager, always good for a laugh. Joe who worked on produce. Also, a lady from Hoyland Common, who worked on produce, whose name escapes me, but I remember her telling me that a film crew were filming on their estate based on the book "A Kestrel for a knave"...... which obviously became "Kes".

John Martin and his brother, who were Saturday lads (and evenings). Dave Leese, who left to take over as soft furnishings manager at Banners.....wow the list goes on.
Andy,
I remember Tony Buckingham very well. He was managing Parsons Cross when I last heard of him. He had a number of other business interests, or at leasrt that's what he told me.
Do you remember Lillian Reddish who was in the office at Firth Park? Her sister Jane also worked there.
Other people I remember from Firth park were: Gordon Jones- butcher, Keith Wade - butcher, Norma Russell- produce, Joan Chadwick- checkout. It's scary to think that that was more than 40 years ago.
Terry

I knew the Reddish girls, I'd love to know where they are now.

My mum worked at Fine Fare in the late 1960s 1967/1968 could have been 1969 as well, she would have been in her early 20s then with a lady called Margaret Coopland it would have been the one on Woodseats or near there because she lived in a flat on Albert Road in Heeley then that was when my mum and dad were first courting before they got married as they used to say in those days ha ha lol. :)

I'll ask Vera if she remembers her, she's still very astute at 88. She also lived on Albert Road at the time.
She worked at Fine Fare Woodseats when we were "courting" in the late 60's, she's my mother-in-law.

i remember the one at manor top which has been various other supermarkets since most recently netto and now asda my brother was manager at fine fare manor top years ago

i remember the one at manor top which has been various other supermarkets since most recently netto and now asda my brother was manager at fine fare manor top years ago

I worked at manor top one, from1984 - 1988 on the check outs. My mother-in-law also worked there from it opening up till 1987. So she might know your brother if he was there before1987.

yeh it was the 80s wen he worked there his name is steven watson i remember a little woman who used to stand up while workin on checkout and was really fast her name was rhoda

Andy,
I remember Tony Buckingham very well. He was managing Parsons Cross when I last heard of him. He had a number of other business interests, or at leasrt that's what he told me.
Do you remember Lillian Reddish who was in the office at Firth Park? Her sister Jane also worked there.
Other people I remember from Firth park were: Gordon Jones- butcher, Keith Wade - butcher, Norma Russell- produce, Joan Chadwick- checkout. It's scary to think that that was more than 40 years ago.
Terry

Hi Terry

Yes, remember most of those. Thanks for the memory jog.:)

Found a nice pic of the old FF logo.
http://tinyurl.com/62d2dnk

Hello. I was sent a link to this forum and was most surprised to find my name mentioned.
ANDY MILLER, I remember you too and I heard that you had joined the prison service.You are correct in saying that I moved from Wombwell to manage Firth park, but I never went to Armthorpe.Are you thinking of Mr Templeman who was an area manager(nice chap) who ended managing Armthorpe( I think, memeory not so good) I believe he collapsed and died in the store. The long hours of work that we had to do wouldn`t have helped.
TERRY CARTER---I feel that I should remeber you too, given what you have written but I can only remember a CHRIS Carter.Maybe that is you? Some people with two Christian names often don`t go by their first given name. An example is one that both you and Andy Miller will probably remember, Frank David Walker, who preferred Dave.He was at gleadless I think and then at parson Cross where I worked for him. He later became an area manager but I lost track of his movements.I was pleased to see the reference to Bill Wright, what a lad he was!! I think that he left to set up his own car repair business and I lost touch with him.I expect that he is still around somewhere, covered in oil!! His wife was Sylvia and I think that they had two sons. If anyone knows how I can contact him I would be grateful-----he still owes me a pint!
I agree with what HandyAndy said about Roger Coker.He was the first manager that I worked for when I joined Fine fare as a fresh-faced youth of 20 in Jan 1967.He always wore a long white coat and looked immaculate. I too rember his calling out to delivery drivers but I`m not sure about the sugar one! He was the first person of the other persuasion that I had met and sometimes when in the bar above the bowling alley he would touch my arm for a little longer than was necessary and I could have cracked a walnut with a certain part of my anatomy, such was the fear! I don`t think it was anything other then him being friendly, but that is now.Back then.................
Roy Firth I remember, he was always OK with me.Also Tony Buckingham who, I was told, left to concentrate on some sort of diamond business in Africa. I also remember all the others that were mentioned. Rod Taylor, Mrs Mills, Tony Tuck and I think that there were two brothers who managed Woodseats and Heeley, by the name of Brown.
The one that I will never forget is Bill Faloona at Wickersley/Stag Roundabout. What a lad he was, loved a pint or three and had already got a boozer`s nose when i worked for him.I feel sure that it was the Stag that we went to and not the Homestead.A couple of pints and a hot gammon sandwich---I can remember them now!I don`t know what happened to Bill, does anyone?
Gordon Jones, butcher, Joan Chadwick, Keith Wade from Hoyland Common who did provisions,and, of course, the Reddish ladies. As well as Lilian and Jayne there was Elizabeth and I think that their mum had worked at Firth Park as well, doing cleaning.
I worked for a short spell at Attercliffe under Mrs Mills and at Crookes under Micheal Tinn. Anyone remember him? he was an ex public school boy(Repton) and was supposed to be out getting retail experience before moving into the family business of Hammonds of Hull.a large and well-establishe department store. He had a small green sports car which of course he would never have been able to afford on the crap wages that Fine
Fare used to pay.He could get a little up his own a--e at times and was once assualted
by a delivery driver as a result. He had to be rescued by the butcher, dave Stubbs, who later went into the taxi business.Good lad he was. Anyone remember him?
Well, I could go on and on as the memories come flooding back but have probably written more today than I have since doing essays in my GCE exams. I hope that there is someone out there who will read all this!
Thanks to all who contributed to this forum( which reminds me of the Fine Fare staff magazine, that was the Forum) and for bringing back a lot of memories.

Hi Chris,nice to hear from you.Missed a comma in my previous post - it was me who worked at Armthorpe.I now live only 5 or so miles from the branch which has changed hands several times since.As regards Mr.Templeman,he did not die but had a really nasty accident with the cardboard baling machine (what deadly things they were with the metal handle swinging back!).The handle swung back and split his head open.It was a really nasty accident and he was off several weeks.I went in as his relief and stayed for a while after he came back,as assistant manager. What was apparrent was how much his staff liked and respected him and how they hated Mr.Firth for the way he treated him,I believe because he was an outsider from another company and not Fine Fare trained.I enjoyed my spell with him - he was a real gent.Hope you are keeping well,best wishes,Andy.

Hello Andy, good to hear from you.Your message made me read my last posting and I was amazed at how many times I failed to spell "remember"! Senility taking over rapidly. Must be careful this post.
Thanks for clearing up the Mr Templeman question.I am pleased to hear that that is all(all?!) it was.I suppose that the scenario that I mentioned could have happened in later years but I hope not.As I said in my first post, I thought that he was a good chap, too nice to be an area man!
I have exchanged a few e-mails with "Handy" Andy Turner since my post but it seems that we never actually met. I know that you and I did! I think that you probably made the right decision to get out of retail and join the prison service.After dealing with Roy Firth you would find it easy with the toughest of "screws" ! Strangely, with my reputation for not getting on with area managers, I did with Roy Firth. Mind you, I was very young and inexperienced then and didn`t have him for long as I was at Wombwell for five years, off his patch.
How did you do in the Prison Service? Did you make governor?!! A colleague of mine in later years, name of Clark(e?) was married to a governor but I don`t know which nick she was at.
I, for my sins, stayed in retail until I retired in 2001, but I left FF to join the Co-op in `87.Lots of stories to tell over the years I can tell you!! Are you still working or do you get early retirement in the Prison Service?
Hope to hear from you again.
Best wishes, Chris

Hello Chris and Merry Christmas.I retired in 2004 after going part-time for a year.Would have liked to have carried on for another 4 years doing the part-time bit but left for domestic reasons.Didn`t make the governor grades but stopped one rank below.My wife died in 1996 and if I had gone any higher I would have had to move prisons every 3 years or so and with 3 dogs,3 cats and 2 tanks of fish I decided it made more sense to stay near my family and friends.How about you?Did you stay in the Sheffield area or move around a bit? I must say this forum has brought back memories I thought I had forgotten and made me realise that overall,Baumber excepted,they were pretty good times.Which Co-op stores did you manage?In recent years I have shopped regularly at their Thorne,Doncaster branch.A couple of years ago they moved from their original site,now Sainsburys,to a smaller site in the middle of town.Have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year,Andy.

Hello Andy, thanks for the Christmas greetings, and the same to you.
To answer your questions and reply to your comments, I was looking to send an email but I can`t figure it out yet.I had mail from Andy Turner and replied that way, so it can be done.I will have another look after Christmas as I am away for the weekend.