M&S manager gives Rotary talk
MORE than 50 Rotarians, partners and guests enjoyed a three-course meal at the annual partners’ lunch event on February 14 in the Alexandra Hotel in Fort William.
Guest speaker was Sam Nugent, manager of the new Marks & Spencer Food Hall at the North Road Retail Park, Fort William.
Mr Nugent gave those present a quick and fascinating summary of the history of M&S from the early days of Michael Marks (a Polish immigrant) and his ‘penny bazaar’ in Leeds in 1884, his partnership with Thomas Spencer 10 years later and how, within the next 30 years, they established 234 stores around the UK – the company now has over 1,000.
He said M&S was first to introduce expiry dates for its food (1972) and first to develop ‘melt in the middle’ chocolates. The company introduces 250 new food products every year, the research and testing of each product costing around £50,000.
The company is not just a retail shop but is also wholeheartedly committed to environmental issues such as recycling all paper and card, climate change, beach clean-ups and a no-waste policy. At the company’s expense, every employee is encouraged to spend one work day per year helping with a community project.
The 8,000 square foot Fort William store is their most remote in the UK and, with the exception of Mr Nugent and his two managers, all 64 staff were recruited locally.
The store is performing well, with 80 per cent of the staff in permanent posts.
The company is also working closely with the Job Centre and is supporting the Claggan Green Fingers Project, the Lochaber Rural Education Trust and the Caol Community Centre.
On behalf of the Rotary Club, past-president Paula Ross thanked Mr Nugent.