ESS has collaborated with Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton and the DIO to create the Community Store. The fully self-service convenience outlet is underpinned by a strong commitment to enhance the lives of the site population through engagement and partnering with local initiatives and charities.
The store brings together fresh food to go, made in house, under the Deli Delicious brand, and major names such as Starbucks, Co-op, F’real and Chicago Town pizzas. It also meets the ‘food for later’ needs of customers with a carefully selected range of ambient, chilled and frozen products, as well as non-food items.
Multiple self-service cashless tills reduce queuing and full integration with the ESS App ensures loyalty rewards come as standard.
Realising the importance of human interaction for customers, a host guides and assists customers on the shop floor rather than from behind a till barrier, whilst following strict social distancing guidelines.
The store replaces an old shop that was in poor condition and no longer fit for purpose. Significant investment from ESS and the site has delivered a modern new facility which is double the size, with the addition of full kitchen facilities to allow a greatly enhanced food offer.
The shop is named ‘Maisie’s’, in honour of Sir Donald Gosling’s mother. Sir Donald joined the Royal Navy in 1944 and later went on to found NCP car parks. He was a great supporter of Royal Navy charities and a trustee of the Fleet Air Museum at Yeovilton.
Cdr Kara Chadwick MBE RN, Commander Logistics, RNAS Yeovilton, commented: ‘The new Yeovilton Community Store is a great facility to have on station for those who work here, but particularly for those who also live here. It has a greatly improved range of products, which I know the ESS team will keep under review so that the products sold are the products people want to buy. The layout also makes for a much better shopping experience – the team who set it up have done a great job.’
Mark Webster, Managing Director – ESS Defence, Government Services, Offshore & Remote, commented: ‘ESS community stores are purpose led and each one is uniquely designed to meet the needs of the location and customers. We have developed this offer over two years in partnership with the DIO and MOD, so we’re pleased our first store has now launched and we’re looking forward to evolving the offer and strengthening our relationships based on feedback.’
