Oral history recording of Roy Linfield

Audio recordings of oral history interview of Roy Linfield. Interviewed by Bridget Williams (Sainsbury's Archives). The recording may have been used in the 'Quality perfect, Prices lower' company history video, and appears to have been intended for use in an edited programme - the interviewer asks to "to try to capture our soundbites first, then if we can talk more generally in a relaxed way".

Summary of content:
102_A: New self-service stores in LCC estates Debden, Grange Hill, Hainault. Sainsbury's Debden open about 3 months before other shops on estate. New stores in new tows Stevenage, Basildon, Harlow. Sainsbury block and building incorporated Boots next door. Self-service store size dictated requirements. No need for basements. New towns were revolution and successful. Eastbourne 2nd self-service store. Rebuilding from bomb damage. Southampton built with MacFisheries. Building licensing opportunity to build new stores. New Town Development Corporations. Telford. New town centres with bigger retail units. Deliveries and supplying stores difficult. New Town Commissions. Swindon. Rehabilitation of Londoners. Opportunity to expand product lines. Early out of town stores. Breton store. American consultants advised on new store layouts and concepts. Pattern of shopping in UK different to US. Flow of customers. Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road. Smaller stores. Freddy Parker Works Department, Ralph Hall Engineer Department, Claude ?? Estates Department report to Fred Salisbury. Responsible to Freddy Parker and responsible for maintenance. Department had bricklayers, plumbers, joiners, plasterers- in house building. Responsible for farms. Build new farm buildings. Depots at East Harling. 9-11 Croydon build by in house building team. Take out main wall between two shops. Basement. Fred Salisbury US visit. Pre-packaging. Cabinets. Open top cabinet. Alan Rickman installation. Sage. Gondolas and checkouts. Designed own shop fittings. Floor finishes including mosaic. Mosaic replaced with 6" by 6" brown tile SM21 used in patterns. Production difficulties. Terrazzo. Building material shortages. Goodwill with contractors such as Carters and Wimpey's. 5 year store opening programme. Pre Christmas openings. Surface car park at Breton. Best layout and circulation of car park design. Advantage of surface car parks to customers. Planners resisted this. Aylesbury. Lifts. Travelators. Multi-storey car parks.

102_B: 1960s constraints on town centre planning. Restriction on size. Difficult to get sites. Store layout for disabled access. Warehouse racks. Self-service increased trade. Signage. Lighting. Ceiling and ventilation system. Height of store. Introduction of new areas including bakeries and fish. Savacentre Washington 1976. BHS restaurant. Pioneering supermarket.