It's always dangerous to judge the entire fleet by its flagship, but if Budgens could replicate its new Midhurst store across all its 105 sites, most of them situated in the south, it could certainly give Somerfield a run for its money. The new-build branch (see page 12) is a positive hot-bed of new ideas, and has sprung from what chief executive John von Spreckelsen says has been "months of research on design and ranging". Not everything under trial here will work everywhere. The drinks section, for example, in which just about every wine-producing country is represented, might be tricky to sustain outside well-heeled West Sussex. But the use of low-level gondolas to create a more spacious feel, superstore-style dairy cabinets for more visual impact, and the new customer service desk each represents a real step forward for what was once a chain of poky, unexciting old-fashioned supermarkets. Led blindfolded into the store, you could be forgiven for thinking it was a Waitrose ­ something that, despite its best efforts, you would probably not say of the upgraded Somerfields. Soft lighting, ceilings in white with a hint of apricot', and a range tailored to people of a certain age and income bracket ­ including a new patisserie and wider-than-usual deli selection ­ add to this impression. Somerfield, of course, is starting at a disadvantage. The seven fascias it inherited from Isosceles were a real mixed bag, and Gateway is a millstone from which it is still trying valiantly to break free. The programme of refurbishments is due for completion this year ­ meanwhile, punters will continue to judge the book by its cover. Budgens has wisely kept quiet about its planned move into the Premier League, while Somerfield has been painfully dragging itself upwards inch by inch under the gaze of a none-too-friendly City and media. But as the CRS has proved this week with its wholly-unexpected own label tie-up with NISA-Today's, sometimes it is best to Just Do It.

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