Video recording of interview with Graham Brown and Richard Gowers at Sainsbury's studio, 25 Mar 1998

Video recordings of interviews with Graham Brown (a Sainsbury's manager at head office from the 1970s onwards who was involved in the development of new stores) and Richard Gowers (a Sainsbury's store manager, worked at Sainsbury's from the 1960s including at Feltham store). Filmed at Sainsbury's studio (presumably at head office). Interviewed by Bridget Williams.

Contents, video 1998.0447 (SA/HIS/1/2/9/1):
1. Graham Brown discussing the development of new larger supermarkets with car park from the 1970s to 90s, Sainsbury's use of brownfield sites in towns and cities, changes to stores including the provision of new services, Sainsbury's opening of new stores further north and west.
Summary: Development of Sainsbury's car park design. Bowthorpe. Redevelopment of brownfield sites. Convenient for customers as store and car park all on one level store and car park. Introduction of restaurant facilities. Late 1970s - 1980s Hedge End store represented the peak in size of stores. Ladbroke Grove. Petrol stations introduced. Geography of stores made use of distribution network. Cluster of stores in an area.
2. [12'08"] Richard Gowers discussing changes to stores from manual to self-service stores, more people buying wine, about fruit and vegetables department, ordering of products and change from sales sheets to computerised systems.
Summary: Started with Sainsbury's in a manual store, Feltham mid 1960s. Previous experience with Grandfather and Satuday job with David Gregg. Started on bacon counter. Product knowledge. Richmond branch for training in self-service store. Pioneering self-service. First Good Friday opening. Customers accepted self service but older customers were suspicious. Product range increased. Development of wine trade. Fruit and veg range developed. product knowledge development in parallel with customer. Explanation of plessey computer ordering machine and system.

Contents video 1998.0448 (SA/HIS/1/2/9/2):
1. continuation of Richard Gowers interview - discusses product shortages including during the 1974 sugar shortage and 1979 TGWU national lorry drivers strike.
2. (08:00) a senior manager at Sainsbury's (from ISD [Information Systems Division]) answering questions about computer systems in the company. Appears to be at a conference for Sainsbury's managers. Recording appears incomplete, starts part way through his talk.
3. introduction to 'The Cascade' [management conference] (unedited recording)

Two additional (non-digitized) video tapes are also included in this file but these may be duplicates.