Keymarkets supermarkets

[DeadAt17]

Re: Keymarkets supermarkets

There was a Key Markets in Isleworth, Middlesex, built around 1970 along with a new housing estate and row of shops. It became a Gateway. I only ever saw one other, in Ramsgate, Kent.

Going by the posts on here it was purely a southern England chain.

[Mimi]

Re: Keymarkets supermarkets

I remember Keymarkets, we had one in Yardley in Birmingham, I used to get pippa dolls from there! Also, recall them giving a scratch card sometimes with your shopping and losing my mum in there and feeling horribly frightened....

[SteveO]

Re: Keymarkets supermarkets

There was a Key Market store in Taunton High Street in the 70's, it then became a Gateway store when they took them over. I think it closed and moved across town when they became Somerfield. The site in Taunton High Street is now Iceland.

I use to work in Keymarkets in 1978 straight from school on Thursday & Friday ,then got promoted to the Bacon/Hams/Sausages counter to work T/F 4 Hours & Sat was 8 Hour day ,and me only 16 ,good experience which lasted for a 3 months ,Jobs were hard to get then but became an Apprentice[slave] and never looked back, but Keymarkets was good ,Manager wanted me to stay ,could have been a CEO now for Waitrose,Sainsburys or Lidl .

[SteveO]

Re: Keymarkets supermarkets

1978,1st days job was stacking shelf, then rubbish out back in skip in the evening ,some of the dairy products were taken by tramps, but got promoted to the Bacon counter.

[Bretwalda]

Re: Keymarkets supermarkets

That's funny, the one near me was replaced with a TKMAXX, amongst other new shops.

Yes !
There was a Key Markets in my town.
I used to go there with my Nan.
It morphed into Gateway, which then morphed into Somerfield.
Then it got knocked down.
Now there is a TK Max and A Costa Coffee there.

I have fond memories of Key Markets though.
It had an off licence built in to a corner, rather than having the alcohol in an isle.
Also it had turnstiles, so only one person could get in at a time.
The first baguette I ever ate came from that supermarket.

[sausage]

Re: Keymarkets supermarkets

I remember Keymarkets, we had one in Yardley in Birmingham, I used to get pippa dolls from there! Also, recall them giving a scratch card sometimes with your shopping and losing my mum in there and feeling horribly frightened....

It's the little promotional scratch cards that I remember most (along with the little blue and yellow characters they used on their advertising, were they keystone cop type cartoons?). Aylesbury had one in the High Street which disappeared when I was a young lad, probably late 70's or early 80's.

[Janderley]

Re: Keymarkets supermarkets

Keymarkets was the first supermarket I remember going to regularly in the early 80s when I was a toddler.

Anyone remember them? Their logo was a big yellow key symbol on a blue background. I remember one in Bath and there was a big one near where the Gateshead Metrocentre is now (I think that one survived a little longer than the others). They got taken over by Gateway I think.

My step father managed a Key Markets supermarket in the Bournemouth area - possibly Broadstone. I still have some of the Keymarkets paper bags which are exactly as described!

[George 1978]

Re: Keymarkets supermarkets

Were Key Markets a bit like Spar or VG? - small in size but local? Haven't read the entire thread so apologies for any possible repetition.

I am certain that I have seen full page adverts for Key in old newspapers online.

[Dibryan1007]

Got into this discussion late. I used to have a Saturday job at Keymarkets in Uckfield. 1973 - 1976

[SteveE]

I'm late to this subject too... I worked at the Chandlers Ford branch in Southampton 1973/1974 and have fond memories.
£10 a week!
Still have my Work Permit & last Pay Packet (empty though lol).
Sad that it's all gone now.

[Christopherhnt]

As a young budding graphic designer I use to work on their full page ads, working late letrasetting the prices on a Friday evening so they appeared in Saturday's paper's, they wey sent to us over on the phone, no emails then., Hated working late on a Friday, just waiting for the phone call

[60s Kid]

I remember our local Keymarkets opening when I was 7 in 1965. They gave the children balloons and sweets. I thought it waa wonderful! Prior to that I only remember a small self-service shop round our way (Co-op?) or cornershops.