Opening of the new Key Markets store in 1981.

Was this the first large supermarket in Wickford?

On the 24th March, 1981, Key Markets opened a new store in Wickford.

A large number of people were waiting for the opening at 9am.  Were you one of them?

Were you one of the fruit tasters?

A jazz band played to welcome people to the new experience.

Mr John Hagger and Mrs Phyllis Dear dancing to the jazz band.
In the 1970s, Key Markets had been in the High Street.

Comments about this page

Add your own comment

  • I worked at the old Keymarkets in the High Street and I seem to remember the manager being Mr Langley? I had the lovely job of loading the incinerator out the back and the smell was awful, also sweeping the shop floor and cleaning up any breakages, ie eggs! This must have been in 1968/69.
    Now I am thinking about getting a job in Aldi 🤣

    By Graham (24/02/2024)
  • I worked at Key Markets when I left school, in 1980, while I waited to join the RAF. And, my joining day was 24th March 1981! I remember returning to Wickford after having ‘attested’ in Ilford and seeing my old workmates in the new store. I felt a big wave of relief that I was moving on from Wickford and a life in retail. It just wasn’t for me.

    My dad worked for Key Markets and Savon stores for many years as a manager, until they finally ground him down at the Upton Park branch.

    By Tony Lockhart (02/11/2022)
  • I used to work for Key Markets.
    Not in a store but at their administration and computer department offices in Trinity Street, London S.E. 1.
    I was with them from 1966 to 1977

    By Alan (15/10/2022)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.