The Somerfield store in Southall re-opens after a hectic few days of refurbishment and rebranding as a Co-operative store.

After Somerfield’s was taken over by the Co-operative Group in March 2009, all the Somerfield stores and brands are being gradually phased out and replaced by the Co-operative store brand.

The rebranding of the 650 stores is expected to take almost two years.

The first Somerfield store to rebrand as a Co-operative Food store was in Downend, in Bristol in April 2009.

Last week saw the opening of the re-branded store in Southall. The store closed on the afternoon of Saturday 17th July 2010 and re-opened on Thursday 22nd July 2010.

In the early 1990’s, the store operated under the Gateway brand. In May1994 Gateway Foodmarkets became Somerfield Stores.

Prior to that, the store was called Super Paradise. Oddly enough, prior to that it was a Co-op store.

Some of the employees have been there throughout the period.