Tributes paid to Asda founder
PETER ASQUITH, who was the last surviving founder of supermarket chain Asda, has died aged 81.
Mr Asquith, and his brother Fred, were instrumental in establishing the chain, which has grown to become one of the biggest names in the supermarket business.
The Yorkshireman, who was also a successful racehorse owner, was described by Asda as a “trailblazer” who shaped modern supermarket shopping and was “years ahead” of his time.
The Leeds-based chain made him an honorary life president of the company in 2004.
Mr Asquith’s family described him as a “truly unique man” who will be “greatly missed”.
Mr Asquith’s early career saw him and his brother, Fred, who died in 2002, involved in his mother and father’s butchery business, WR Asquith.
However, the pair decided to set up together and opened their first grocery store in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, in 1958.
After selling the shop, which had become successful after Mr Asquith introduced discounted goods, the two brothers and business partner Jack Hewitt converted a former cinema in Castleford into a self-service supermarket.
A second outlet opened at Edlington, near Doncaster, before Mr Asquith built the first known supermarket from scratch on the site of the old Palace Cinema at South Elmsall, near Pontefract, in 1965.
Following discussions with Noel Stockdale, the then chairman of Associated Dairies, Mr Asquith’s operation joined forces with Associated Dairies.
The ‘AS’ of Asquith was joined with the ‘DA’ of Dairies and Asda was born.
Following the link up more stores opened and by 1970, Asda had more than 30 stores.
After a brief spell away from the business, Mr Asquith rejoined Asda in 1989 and helped the company to find new sites.
In a statement Asda said: “Peter was a trailblazer for many ideas that developed the superstore trading format. He had the great foresight to link growing car ownership with food shopping and looked for sites with the benefit of adjacent municipal parking. Peter also pioneered the concept of petrol filling stations on supermarket forecourts.
“Our thoughts are with Peter’s family and our colleagues will be arranging a suitable memorial.”
Celtic Mill was Mr Asquith’s most sucessful horse of recent years, winning the St Giles Handicap at Pontefract in 2003 and Scarborough Stakes at Doncaster in 2004.
The horse was one of a number of progeny of Madam Millie to have been bred at racehorse stud premises Burns Farm in East Keswick, West Yorkshire.
The farm is run by his daughter Gay Scott and her husband Paul.
Mr Asquith was a widower following his wife, Christine’s, death.
His funeral will take place at All Hallows Church in Bardsey on Wednesday, June 11 at 2pm followed by a private cremation.
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