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{{Short description|Former retail co-operative in Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{distinguish|Norco milk}}
{{Location map
|UK Scotland |relief=1
|label= | marksize=9
|mark=Blue_pog.svg
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}}
'''Northern Co-operative Society Limited''' (abbreviated to '''Norco
|url=http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ACCI/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=13278&sID=1689
|title=NORCO - Records of the Northern Co-operative Society
|publisher=Aberdeen City Archives
}}{{dead link|date=July 2016}}</ref><ref name="guardian">{{Cite news
|url=http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&res_dat=xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:newsuk&rft_id=xri:newsuk:newsart:69381430
|title=Scottish co-op calls in receiver
|work=[[The Guardian]]
▲|date=1993-06-18
|author=Seumas Milne
|accessdate=4 July 2008
|via=ProQuest
}}</ref>
It operated supermarkets and other businesses throughout Aberdeenshire, and employed 2000 people in 1992.
It was put into the hands of a [[Receiver (legal)|receiver]] for [[liquidation]] in 1993, as a result of financial difficulties that ''The Guardian'' newspaper attributed to
==History==
[[
|url=http://www.ukbusinesspark.co.uk/bpreta00.htm
|title=retailing UK News 2000
|date=
|publisher=UK Business Park
}}</ref><ref>
{{Cite web |url=http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/acc_data/committee%20reports/cs_res_r2l_030923.pdf
|title=Retail Study Report
|date=
|publisher=[[Aberdeen City Council]] Resources Management Committee
|quote=Sainsbury's have taken over the Scottish Co-op superstore at Berryden
|pages=5
|author=Bob Reid
|access-date=8 July 2008
}}</ref>]]▼
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040430194015/http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/acc_data/committee%20reports/cs_res_r2l_030923.pdf
|archive-date=30 April 2004
|url-status=dead
|df=dmy-all
}}▼
Norco was formed in 1861 as Northern Co-operative Company, by two committees of Aberdeen residents who planned to follow the example of the [[Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society]].<ref name="archive" />
The first shop was a grocery business at 51 Gallowgate, opened in July that year.<ref name="archive" /> The original company had a fixed capital of £1000, but in 1917, it converted into Northern Co-operative Society.<ref name="archive" />
The
Norco House, a large [[department store]] that replaced several smaller non-food stores, was opened in George Street in 1970.<ref name="archive" /> ▼
▲Norco House, a large [[department store]]
The trading name of Norco was soon adopted by the entire co-operative.<ref name="archive" />
The
|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:APJB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F6D23FDD9AAC29D&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815
|title=PULL THEM ALL DOWN: Heritage chief blasts the city's 60s eyesores
|author=David Ewen
|work=[[Aberdeen Press and Journal]]
|date=
|publisher=[[NewsBank]] via Europe Intelligence Wire
}}</ref>
The old Loch Street building remained empty and slowly deteriorated until its eventual demolition in 1986.
▲The co-operative shopping arcade that it replaced was described in 2000 as “like [[Covent Garden|Convent Garden]] ''(sic)'' – a delightful, quaint area at the centre of the city where people could stroll” by Connie Leith, head of the Ferryhill Heritage Society.<ref name="heritage" />
In 1977, Norco opened a {{convert|54000|sqft|-2}} flagship [[superstore]] in the [[Berryden]] district of Aberdeen.<ref name="archive" /><ref name="grocer">{{Cite news
Line 65 ⟶ 77:
|work=[[The Grocer]]
|publisher=via Find Articles at BNET
|date=
}}</ref><ref name="press2000">{{Cite news
|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:APJB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F6D242E0140AD02&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815
|title=Co-op's shock sell-off threatens 200 city jobs
|work=[[Aberdeen Press and Journal]]
|date=
|page=6
|accessdate=
|author= Tim Pauling and Alastair McNeill
|publisher=[[NewsBank]] via Europe Intelligence Wire
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In April 1992, Norco declared a loss of £7 million, and the chief executive, Robin Pollock, resigned.<ref name="archive" /><ref name="press2000" />
Emergency measures included a massive sell-off of businesses, and a pay freeze.<ref name="archive" />
Kennerty Dairies (since bought by [[Robert Wiseman Dairies]]) bought Norco's Berryden dairy, and [[Argyll Foods|Argyll Group]] bought supermarkets in [[Banchory]], [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]], [[Ellon, Aberdeenshire|Ellon]] and [[Westhill, Aberdeenshire|Westhill]].<ref name="press2000" />
Finally, in 1993, Norco approached Scottish Co-op with a view to a rescue merger, but the latter organization declined the request.<ref name="archive" /><ref name="guardian" />
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It employed 2000 people in 1992, when the financial problems became apparent, and on going into receivership in June 1993, it had 800 employees.<ref name="guardian" />
Its trading area included the Aberdeenshire and [[Moray]] towns of [[Banchory]], [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]], [[Ellon, Aberdeenshire|Ellon]], [[Kemnay, Aberdeenshire|Kemnay]], [[Inverurie]], [[Port Elphinstone]] and [[Westhill, Aberdeenshire|Westhill]].<ref name="archive" /><ref name="press2000" />
At its peak it had branches and departments throughout the city of Aberdeen.<ref name="archive" />
Since the demise of Norco, the tradition of consumer co-operation in Aberdeenshire has been continued or revived by three southern organizations: [[Scotmid Co-operative]], [[Lothian, Borders & Angus Co-operative Society|Lothian, Borders & Angus Co-operative]] and Scottish Co-op (a retail division of CWS, now [[the Co-operative Group]].)
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</nowiki>-->
{{reflist}}
▲}}
{{Defunct UK grocers}}
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[[Category:Defunct companies of Scotland]]
[[Category:Defunct retail companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:Defunct department stores of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1861 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Co-operatives in Scotland]]
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