District Manager replies
Enter subtitle here
Paragraph numbers have been added. A reply follows.
On 20 Jul 2020, at 12:38, Alan Tidy <Alan.Tidy@midcounties.coop> wrote:
Good Afternoon Prof Harrison,
1
I am glad you have received your vouchers. Hopefully this will help clarify the situation you have unfortunately found yourself in.
2
The store in Charlbury is a perfectly "normal" co-op owned and operated by the Midcounties Co-operative. We are proud to be the largest independently run Co-operative the UK. https://www.midcounties.coop/
3
The Co-op picture in the UK is a complicated one as there are many independently owned societies and Co-operative movement called "the co-operative group". https://www.coop.co.uk/
4
This is where it can get confusing. As independent Co-ops we support the larger movement but members and customers rarely understand we are completely separate businesses who trade co-operatively with each other.
5
For the most part most people do not notice a difference as one convenience store is very similar to another but we have different logos (we do not use the blue cloverleaf design but the distribution and purchasing group do). Where this does cause issues is around membership of societies. You could be a member of both the co-operative group (and have a blue card), and the Midcounties (and have a white card). We also have separate gift cards which cannot be used in different societies.
6
It appears this is where your issue has arisen. The store in the centre of Witney is a Co-op group store (based in Manchester) but our local Charlbury store is part of the Midcounties. This means that unfortunately the gift card issued was by them and can only be used in one of their stores. Trying to use a Co-op group Gift card in our store would be similar to using a Tesco or Sainsbury's one and our systems would not recognise it.
7
With regards volunteering we are working directly and indirectly with many volunteer organisations at the moment to support vulnerable members of the community. In Charlbury the store directs all customers through to the community centre who, from the start have had a fantastic team set up their to support the town. They are not a directly linked organising just one with which we have a mutual understand to help support Charlbury.
8
I can only apologise on behalf Midcounties for any embarrassment caused and can assure you we are trying to develop our brand and offer so our customers and members gain a better understanding of our position within the UK co-op movement and are able to distinguish Midcounties from other co-operative movements.
Alan Tidy
DIstrict Manager D7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Tidy
Thank you for your email. It was good of you to go to such lengths to explain the Co-op complications.
Several friends join me in considering your remarki that Charlbury Co-op is a normal Coop.
As far as everyday shopping is concerned no one would think otherwise.
However, as soon as something out of the ordinary crops up, evidently it is not a normal Co-op.
Your extensive text proves the point.
"Your Co-op" management needs to talk to the main Co-op website writers and put things straight.
Best wishes.
Prof Alan F Harrison retd