London SE1 > News & Features > January 2001
SE1 supermarket sweep
Sainsbury's is to open a supermarket in Stamford Street later this year. The news was broken as the group announced that its head office will move across the Thames to Holborn Circus where it will occupy the new building on the Mirror site. The move is expected to be completed by the summer with 4000 staff leaving SE1.
Chief Executive Sir Peter Davies, who as Prudential Chairman had an office in Holborn, says that the decision was based on available sites and the speed at which they could move. However, the recently converted Royal Mail parcels sorting office in Union Street will remain in Sainsbury's hands. The Sainsbury's shop will be a 10,000 sq ft Sainsbury's Central store which, whilst not a superstore, is larger than a Sainsbury's Local found in Victoria and at Paddington Station.
Older residents in SE1 recall a Sainsbury's shop in Stamford Street and since its closure over 25 years ago there has been a staff-only supermarket for HQ workers. J Sainsbury was founded in Drury Lane but has had its head office in Stamford Street since 1890. Earlier a member of the family had been involved in the hat trade around Hatfields which runs south from Stamford Street. The Mad Hatter, once owned by Sainsbury's, is a former hat factory.
Behind is Christ Church which has a stained glass window depicting a Sainsbury's store and shopping trolley.
View the Sainsbury's corporate website at www.j-sainsbury.co.uk