I can’t say that the job is bad - on itself it’s not. The problem is definitely with management. I guess due to the hierarchy in the company everyone is trying to cover their own a**, therefore regular staff is being treated really badly. As others mentioned, managers are forgetting about booked holidays and it is usually your fault, you’re being judged if you don’t want to do extra time (even if you have kids), very stressful environment due to the lack of healthy management. Some people there are crazy about their career (in retail shop? Can’t wait to become a manager/duty manager for just over £8), therefore they don’t hesitate to stab you in the back or complain about you to the management. Too much stress for not enough pay. Working all bank holidays and no bonuses for staff...well there are some... 10% discount excluding tobacco, alcohol and fuel and only in your store. Fun. No staff parties, like most businesses have at the end of the year. Add to it being understaffed, responsible for shoplifters (with no security on site) and blamed for everything at all times - this is work at Blakemore retail.

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Typical retail environment

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Coalville - 22 July 2022

If you like retail, and working from 6am and/or until 11pm 364 days a year all bank holidays (for no extra pay) than look no further.Great place for someone who does not care about steady sleeping pattern nor life/work balance.

Pros

Small discount, great store manager

Cons

Late closings, no extra pay on bank holidays

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Insights into A.F.Blakemore & Son Ltd

Based on 97 survey responses

Areas for improvement

General feeling of work happiness
Sense of belonging
Support from manager

Good company

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Bridgend, Bridgend - 1 March 2022

I worked for Blakemore between the ages of 16 and 20 , pay was poor as you got minimum wage for your age while doing the same job , staff were friendly and you got looked after , lots of support from central and possibility of progression

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No fun. Too much backstabbing.

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - East Midlands - 19 February 2022

Not worth all the hassle. Do not recommend. Management is poor and they tell everyone confidential things and moan about everything. Bad place to work after being there for nearly 5yrs. It just isn't worth it. Pay is dreadful. Everyone jumps on you like a pack of wolves just for 1 mistake.

Pros

Nothing

Cons

Everything

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Bsd management

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Kidderminster, Worcestershire - 1 February 2022

Not a good place to work, to get anywhere you have to be close with the manager, so don't expect to get anywhere in the work place, always expected to do more then what you bargain for and people are toxic to eachother.

Pros

Free hot drinks

Cons

Management

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Don’t care about staff concerns

Sales Assistant (Part-time) (Former Employee) - Louth, Lincolnshire - 7 November 2021

1 and 1/2 years working for them. Changed managers while I was there. The old manager was amazing, The new one, chosen by the area manager, rubbish. Came in and decided that everything could and should be done different. Noticeable negative difference in customer satisfaction, staff happiness and work environment. Numerous members of staff have left in the year due to him. Higher management ignored continuous complaints from the staff and supervisors. Also quoted from manager “I don’t listen to unions” when approached by a member of staff about numerous staff concerns.Worked to exhaustion, underpaid, made to feel inferior.

Pros

None

Cons

Not listened too

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Bullying managers and horrible environment to work in

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - York, North Yorkshire - 30 July 2021

Worst job I’ve ever had. Management seem to be so unhappy with their own lives that they enjoy taking it out on everyone around them. Toxic environment with no progression and zero regard for your personal life. Expected to drop everything at a phone call and come into work because the company runs on minimal staff - then the management act like they are doing you a favour bringing you in to work on your day off because you’re getting paid for it. Expected to work “charity days” for a few hours A.K.A. Working for free on your day off and you are heavily criticised for not wanting to participate which is ridiculous. Second shift is always late in so you end up working for free there too if you work mornings. If there are stock checks, you’re also expected to work for free to make up for the massive amount of work required to get everything counted. Getting holidays in is nearly impossible as you have to give 4 weeks notice for ONE day off and if you’re not their favourite they’ll give the day to someone else instead. There were several instances of bullying I witnessed where management were picking on regular staff - when reported to higher up nothing was done. The only good thing about working there was the relief of quitting.

Pros

Leaving

Cons

Everything

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Awful management

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Liverpool John Lennon Airport - 20 April 2021

The manager was a miserable lady, set on making everyone’s day as horrible as possible, no matter how hard you tried to do your best . The supervisors were more qualified than our manager to do her job, and they helped me in most problems. Customers made my job bearable.

Pros

Lovely supervisors and friendly customers

Cons

Unfair rota, unless you was managers best friend

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Can be a good place to work if your face fits.

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Market Harborough, Leicestershire - 6 February 2021

Training is minimal, you just learn on the job. If your face fits you will be fine but if the manager doesnt like you you will be isolated until they find someone else to pick on. Even when reported the area manager just tells the manager who said what and nothing is done. Most of the other staff and customers are great. The most enjoyable part of the job is helping the customers and working on a shift with good people. The worst part is when the manager has it in for you.

Pros

Handy part time hours

Cons

Management

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Wouldn't recommend

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Shropshire - 24 May 2020

I have worked at a SPAR store for a year now and I honestly do not like it. Even as a sales assistant this job has caused me so much stress due to short PPE supplies, being shorted of staff and awful management. Just one of many examples I that they can't get the rota done without many problems occurring such as forgetting that a member of staff has booked time off, being short of staff during the manic days where you don't even have time for a break or leaving it till last minute (on a Saturday night) to out the rota up which means that some times you have to guess whether you are working Sunday (not good if you're doing the early shift 6 am till 3 pm). And yet after writing this, there is still loads more bad comments I can make.

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If your looking to earn a few bob, its alright though nothing to write home about

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Bromsgrove, Worcestershire - 18 January 2020

I needed a job when I was 19, they hired me and for 5 years I did what they told me to and earned my money. Promotions are based off of popularity not actual demonstrated ability. management is a joke, targets are unrealistic and turnover rates are sky high. Overall if your desperate for a job take it otherwise keep looking.

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Challenging

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Sheffield - 4 June 2019

Once you’re actually on the tills it’s not bad as the day goes quick and talking to customers makes it interesting but shifts are short ish usually never finished until late at night. Store was ram raided once and armed robbery twice no new security in place which makes it scary to work. Good pay but paid 4 weekly, if you have nice colleagues it’s easy enough to swap shifts if you need to. Managers also need to look after their colleagues more. Can’t ring in sick if you can’t find cover, if you’re ill you still have to go in

Pros

Short shifts/days go quick

Cons

Early starts/late finishes and poor management

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Absolute scam

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Walsall, West Midlands - 15 March 2019

I worked as a sales assistant with spar from September until January I should've realised that they only wanted a skivvy to work over Christmas and to cover other employees shifts on your days off and you haven't even met them who you're covering for. They kept accusing me of cheating the system and said my float and the end was down which with years of retail experience myself I knew was a lie. They stole at least half of my first 2 months of wages as tax which I had to write a letter to hr to get it refunded. In conclusion I wouldn't even bother applying to any advert they have they will just expect you to work for nothing on your days off and cover employees who you never meet. I left the job because i knew they weren't a very good company to work for and knew for a fact I was over qualified for the position and could have easily ran the company myself and do a much better job. Stay well clear go to a much better company who won't try to take advantage of you and your good nature or hardworking attitude.

Pros

None

Cons

Everything.

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Dont do it

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Hertfordshire - 10 February 2019

Expected to be at work 7 days a week, from open at 7 to close at 11 if short stufffed. No support. No training but high standards expected even when short staffed. Short stuffed because of cuts. Sales assistant working a 16 hour contract could easily be expected to do 40 and be called on their day off and demanded to come in, it is worse if you are a Manager! It looks like a professional company but it is poorly run If you dont want a home life and dont mind being on call every day from morning to night, with rubbish pay, then you might be happy here.

Pros

None

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a pleasant and nice place to work

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Chesterfield, Derbyshire - 29 January 2019

I don't need to say anymore than one of the most friendliest places I've worked at, great for self management of task and in-house training it is a place where you do have to ask for what you want but they do listen

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Ok environment

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Lincolnshire - 31 October 2018

Can be quite a fun place to work, depending on who's on the team at the time, but the work can be quite monotonous. The store management team are great but don't feel valued by the company overall.

Pros

10 per cent discount

Cons

Don't feel appreciated

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Fun workplace

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Bangor - 29 January 2018

Fun workplace and easy job, minnimum wage and no progression. Flexible working hours given and can alter between full time and part time. Not much attention given to staff from high managment

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Its a good place to work fun girls who i work with

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Ramsgate, Kent - 25 October 2017

I would like to find a full time job instead of doing two part time jobs as I don't have hardly any spare time to do the things I enjoy doing in what little spare time I have

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not good

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Midland - 26 September 2017

Irregular working hours and low wages combined with intimidating management, no security and little support, makes for a tense working environment with a high staff turnover.

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Terrible company

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Dudley - 20 August 2017

The company does not care about staff especially when armed robberies occur. Just receive a bunch of flowers and ask if your ok. The management are not approachable either and you get no rewards or benefits apart from a work pension. Avoid at all costs!!!!

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Productive and fun work place

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Thorngumbald - 16 July 2017

Filled with super work colleagues makign shifts an enjoyable and fast paced environment to work within. Easy going management willing to work around holidays and necessary days off.

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