After all the uncertainty in Blantyre around Glasgow Road Re-development in the late 1970s, people in the town finally received some welcome news. The brand new ASDA, in 1980 then still being built was looking to hire upwards of 300 people and for many, it was an answer to mass unemployment in the town.
August 1980 saw a record number of people applying for Asda’s new jobs, many directly seeking the managerial or supervisory positions.
The standard of applicant was very high indeed, with a large proportion of the jobs coming from women. The offer of part time, flexible work suited many mothers.
Looking back at this, there was next to no talk about ASDA “destroying commerce” in Blantyre at that time, now a sentiment so embedded in people’s minds. Of all reports I looked at in the era, there was generally mostly talk of hope, of salvation of job prospects, excitement even and of opportunity. It’s easy to forget that ASDA likely has employed thousands of Blantyre people over the last 4 decades.
