Londis (United Kingdom)

Londis is a chain of convenience shop franchises operating in the United Kingdom. The stores form a symbol group and are all owned on a franchise basis. As of December 2014, the company had an estimated net worth of £79 million.[1] Since May 2015, the company has been owned by Booker Group, which purchased Londis and its sister company Budgens from the Musgrave Group for £40 million.[2]

Londis
Private
IndustryRetail
Founded1959
Headquarters
United Kingdom 
Area served
United Kingdom
ProductsGroceries
ParentBooker Group owned by Tesco
Websitewww.londis.co.uk

Operations
A Londis in London in 2007

Londis was established in Great Britain in 1959 by Kevin Stanley Adams as a communally owned company, with each retailer owning a share in the parent company. The name Londis was a contraction of "London District Stores".[3] However, in June 2004, the parent company was sold to the Irish Musgrave wholesale chain with a payment of £31,000 being made to each retailer who owned a stake,[4] bringing it under the same ownership as Budgens, which has now adopted a similar franchise based business model.

This acquisition proved controversial,[5][6] with the CEO of Musgrave in the United Kingdom, Eoin McGettigan, steering through the choppy waters of member revolts and counter offers from others backed by Icelandic banks.[7] A separate, but wholly owned subsidiary company, Musgrave Retail Partners GB Ltd. was formed to supply the stores, until it was sold to Booker Group in 2015.[8]

The current Londis retailer network is in excess of 2,200 stores and forecourt shops located throughout England, Scotland and Wales. 2008 saw an increase of over 200 stores, a record yearly increase for Londis. There is a Londis at every Butlins, Pontins and Haven Holidays camp.[3]

Londis shops typically have a sales area of 1,100 square feet (100 m2). The stores usually open early in the morning, typically 7:30 or earlier, and stay open all day, closing late in the evening.[9] In May 2015, Londis' parent company Musgrave Group confirmed it had reached an agreement to sell Budgens and Londis for £40 million to the wholesaler Booker Group, subject to regulatory approval.[2]

References
  1. "Booker Retail Partners (GB) Limited". Endole. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  2. "Booker Group to buy Budgens and Londis". BBC News. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  3. "Londis - Grocery.com". Perpetual Media Group. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  4. Muspratt, Caroline (23 June 2004). "Londis retailers back Musgrave's windfall takeover". Telegraph. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  5. "Trouble in store". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  6. "Anger over Londis directors' payout". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  7. "Londis deal sees shopkeepers ring up £30,000 each". The Guardian. 23 June 2004. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  8. "Booker Group completes £40m acquisition of Londis and Budgens". Retail Week. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  9. "Thin profits for Londis shopkeepers". Mail Online. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
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