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Sept 2021

Last Updated: 06/09/2021

Business

Retirement party between the tills for Asda colleagues of 33 years

by Alys Jones

| 06 Sept, 2021

Sheila Fitzsimmons and Jean Lofthouse, who served customers on checkouts five and six, have departed after 33 years with the town centre supermarket.

Sheila Fitzsimmons (left) and Jean Lofthouse (right) had worked together for over three decades

Two colleagues who started working at Asda Harrogate at the same time 33 years ago have shared a retirement party between their favourite tills.

Sheila Fitzsimmons and Jean Lofthouse always served next to each other on checkouts five and six.

Their Asda colleagues decorated the tills with balloons and bunting for the celebration marking their departures.

Debs Harpin, customer trading manager at Asda Harrogate, said:

"Sheila and Jean were so popular with colleagues and customers, and had a lot of regulars who they had a good rapport with. They were always so friendly and happy and never had the Monday morning blues!"

Customers who had got to know Ms Fitzsimmons and Ms Lofthouse over the years brought in gifts and colleagues came in on their day off to wish the pair good luck.

Neil Barker, a service host at Harrogate Asda who worked with the pair for about five years, said:

"I'd really like to wish them good luck and thank them for everything they've done for us. It was really nice to give them a proper send off, they've been here a long time so it was great to make them feel appreciated."

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Retirement party between the tills for Asda colleagues of 33 years

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