Two brands come under single management
Sainsbury's plans to put its convenience store subsidiaries, Bells and Jacksons under the same management..

The reorganisation should open opportunities to expand the two brands and enable the grocer to create 665 new jobs across the north of England over the next two years.

Central to the reorganisation is the retirement of Bells chief executive Steven Bell, effective today, to pursue other business interests.

His replacement, Jacksons managing director Angus Oughtred will now oversee the running of both Bells and Jacksons, reporting directly to Sainsbury's managing director of convenience Jim McCarthy.

A national trading team for convenience will be established under the leadership of Richard Lancaster and based in Melton, Hull. The existing trading teams will be offered the opportunity to take up positions within this new structure.

McCarthy said: 'Over the next three years, we have set ourselves stretching growth targets and we need to create a team in the North which can drive the conversion programmes within Bells and Jacksons, as well as supporting the growth of the rest of our convenience business.'

Sainsbury's stressed that there would be no changes to the Bells and Jacksons brands. It acquired Bells in February last year and Jacksons in August.

The retailer runs 262 convenience stores including 56 Bells sites and 116 Jacksons stores.