United Co-operatives
Encyclopedia
United Co-operatives Limited, or simply United Co-op, was the largest regional consumer co-operative
in the United Kingdom
until its merger with The Co-operative Group
in 2007. The Society operated across Yorkshire
, the north west
and north Midlands
of England
. It came about from the merger of United NorWest and Yorkshire Co-operative Society in September 2002.
United Norwest, in turn, arose from the Norwest Pioneers, which had the Rochdale Pioneers
as a direct predecessor. Rochdale Pioneers was the prototypical consumer co-operative, formed in 1844.
The key businesses of the Society were food retailing, travel retail, car dealerships (Sunwin Motor Group), pharmacies and funerals. The under-performing non-food department stores, most of which were inherited via Yorkshire Co-operatives, were closed or sold-off. The former Normid chain of superstores was owned by the society.
United's pharmacies and food stores had a distinct logo that was not to be confused with The Co-operative Group's
own chain of pharmacies and food stores which adopt a slightly different logo and fascia. However, post-merger former United sites will adopt the new branding.
In late 2006, members voted for a merger with the smaller Sheffield Co-operative Society
, giving United a greater presence in South Yorkshire
. On December 11, 2006, members voted for a merger with Leeds Co-operative Society
, which has similar statistics to Sheffield Co-op, this was confirmed with a second vote in January 2007.
At the end of 2006, the boards of United and the larger Co-operative Group announced that they were having initial talks regarding a merger between them, the UK's two largest co-operative societies. This merger was agreed in early 2007 and the two completed the merger on the 29 July 2007, at which point United Co-operatives ceased to exist as an independent Society.
The flagship store was at Burnden Park
, Bolton
, home of Bolton Wanderers Football Club
. The controversial store opened in the mid 80's and closed in 1997, shortly after Bolton's move to the Reebok Stadium. Ironically, one of the main reasons BWFC moved was because Normid prevented redevelopment. The site was derelict for several years and demolished in 2001 to make way for a new retail park including an Asda
supermarket.
Normid was sponsor of Bolton Wanderers
from 1986 until 1990.
Other stores were located in Blackpool
, Crewe
, Wigan
, Widnes
, Talke
(near Kidsgrove
), Chorley
, Hindley
and Blackburn. Normid 1 was based in Crewe, Normid 2 Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Normid 3 was Milehouse, Newcastle-under-Lyme. Normid 4 Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Normid 5 was the Hypermarket at Talke. Normid 6 and 7 were Macclesfield and Longton.
Consumers' cooperative
Consumer cooperatives are enterprises owned by consumers and managed democratically which aim at fulfilling the needs and aspirations of their members. They operate within the market system, independently of the state, as a form of mutual aid, oriented toward service rather than pecuniary profit...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
until its merger with The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
in 2007. The Society operated across Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, the north west
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
and north Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It came about from the merger of United NorWest and Yorkshire Co-operative Society in September 2002.
United Norwest, in turn, arose from the Norwest Pioneers, which had the Rochdale Pioneers
Rochdale Pioneers
The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, founded in 1844, was an early consumer co-operative, and the first to pay a patronage dividend, forming the basis for the modern co-operative movement....
as a direct predecessor. Rochdale Pioneers was the prototypical consumer co-operative, formed in 1844.
The key businesses of the Society were food retailing, travel retail, car dealerships (Sunwin Motor Group), pharmacies and funerals. The under-performing non-food department stores, most of which were inherited via Yorkshire Co-operatives, were closed or sold-off. The former Normid chain of superstores was owned by the society.
United's pharmacies and food stores had a distinct logo that was not to be confused with The Co-operative Group's
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
own chain of pharmacies and food stores which adopt a slightly different logo and fascia. However, post-merger former United sites will adopt the new branding.
In late 2006, members voted for a merger with the smaller Sheffield Co-operative Society
Sheffield Co-operative Society
The Sheffield Co-operative Society was a local consumer co-operative trading in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.The Society was founded as the Brightside and Carbrook Co-operative and opened its first shop in 1868, in the Carbrook suburb of Sheffield.-Castle House:The Co-op opened shops around...
, giving United a greater presence in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
. On December 11, 2006, members voted for a merger with Leeds Co-operative Society
Leeds Co-operative Society
The Leeds Industrial Co-operative Society was a British independent co-operative society based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, which merged with United Co-operatives in 2007....
, which has similar statistics to Sheffield Co-op, this was confirmed with a second vote in January 2007.
At the end of 2006, the boards of United and the larger Co-operative Group announced that they were having initial talks regarding a merger between them, the UK's two largest co-operative societies. This merger was agreed in early 2007 and the two completed the merger on the 29 July 2007, at which point United Co-operatives ceased to exist as an independent Society.
Normid
Normid was the name the United Co-operatives used for their largest stores located in the north of England. In its heyday, Normid superstores sold food, DIY products and electrical items. By the time of United's merger with the Co-operative Group, the business had decided to concentrate on smaller stores and supermarkets and planned to rebrand the remaining stores as 'The Co-operative Food'.The flagship store was at Burnden Park
Burnden Park
Burnden Park was the home of English FA Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers who played home games here between 1895 and 1997. As well as hosting an FA Cup Final replay it was the scene of one of the greatest disasters in English football and the subject of an L. S...
, Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, home of Bolton Wanderers Football Club
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. The controversial store opened in the mid 80's and closed in 1997, shortly after Bolton's move to the Reebok Stadium. Ironically, one of the main reasons BWFC moved was because Normid prevented redevelopment. The site was derelict for several years and demolished in 2001 to make way for a new retail park including an Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
supermarket.
Normid was sponsor of Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
from 1986 until 1990.
Other stores were located in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
, Talke
Talke
Talke is a village in the English county of Staffordshire, four miles northwest of Newcastle-under-Lyme.-Etymology:Its unusual name is derived from the even more unusual "Talk o' th' Hill" which means 'bush on top of the hill'...
(near Kidsgrove
Kidsgrove
Kidsgrove is a town in the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England, near the border with Cheshire. It forms part of The Potteries Urban Area in North Staffordshire, along with Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. It has a population of 24,112...
), Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
, Hindley
Hindley, Greater Manchester
Hindley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Lying three miles east of Wigan it covers an area of 1044 hectares. Historically a part of Lancashire, Hindley which includes Hindley Green borders the towns of Ince-in-Makerfield and Leigh within Wigan...
and Blackburn. Normid 1 was based in Crewe, Normid 2 Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Normid 3 was Milehouse, Newcastle-under-Lyme. Normid 4 Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Normid 5 was the Hypermarket at Talke. Normid 6 and 7 were Macclesfield and Longton.