The cash & carry division of AF Blakemore, Blakemore Wholesale is reported to have sold its Penrith depot in Cumbria to the major national delivered foodservice operator, Bidfood. This leaves the Blakemore cash & carry estate, a major member of the Landmark buying group, with 12 depots, located primarily in the midlands, north-east England and Wales.
Second Blakemore depot to close in 2017
The divestment of the Penrith depot comes just four months after the closure of Blakemore's Hexham depot, its other most northerly depot. Both sites were acquired in 2013, as part of the Lowries business, and both had a more rural catchment than most of Blakemore's depots, with a stronger foodservice customer base. 2017 has also seen Blakemore seeking to rationalise its offer in other depots, reducing range significantly, in a drive to improve efficiency and service to its primarily retailer customer base.
Opportunity for Bidfood to target significant tourist destinations
Located close to the M6 motorway, Penrith sits close to the major Cumbrian tourist areas, including the Lake District, with a significant potential customer base amongst hotels, restaurant and pubs. Offering Bidfood a base in the area for the first time, this Penrith site will enable the wholesaler to build stronger links with both local suppliers and customers.