I'm not asking "them" (being Co-operative Group) to do anyone any favours actually.  The best outcome from the point of view of this idea would I suspect, be that Co-op Group sell it to MidCounties Co-op and they help us create a new Headington shopping centre/market and take the rent from it.

I agree, especially with one of Britain's cleverest property magnates selling it to them, that the Co-op Group will want to dispose of the surplus sites as soon as possible.

I've extended my idea anyway - the biggest problem in Headington centre is I believe the landlords who appear to have no interest in developing their properties to create an environment in which modern shopping can survive and thrive, so I reckon taking over Somerfield ought to be the first stage of a plan to assemble a site that would include all the shops and flats along the London Road and Old High Street frontages from Somerfield's entrance round to the Bury Knowle Park entrance.  I already have a very beautiful idea in my head for a mixed development including arcades, new flats ovelooking the park and London Road and the "covered market" type idea roundn the back where Somerfield no is.