Among the Supporting Cast: Reminiscences and Reflections on Three Careers

(Hardback)

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The Sainsbury's business began life in 1869 when Tim's great-grandparents opened a single grocers shop in Drury Lane. This is a history of an institution brought vividly to life by Tim Sainsbury, who we follow from his childhood to MP for Hove, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Michael Heseltine, Minister for Industry and Trade, and a philanthropist responsible, with his two brothers for funding the Sainsbury's Wing at the National Gallery. This business book-cum-political and cultural memoir, which gives a behind-the-scenes look at the revolution of one of the great retail dynasties of the world, will resonate with readers questioning our current malaise. As a fourth generation Sainsbury, Tim was the director responsible for the company's development programme from 1962 to 1974, a key period during which the radical change from counter service to self-service supermarkets took place. His retail insight and reflections, including on competition, management and remuneration, and the role of Government, will be especially relevant as we witness a new retail revolution and crisis on our high streets. Sainsbury's second calling was as a politician. This book has a foreword by Michael Heseltine, in which he writes that- 'Of particular interest to the political student will be Tim's reflections on the changes he lived through in Parliament itself. The working conditions there are unacceptable, there are too many MPs, and the increasing social pressures particularly from the internet are making it increasingly difficult to attract men and women of the calibre ministerial responsibility demands.' In Among the Supporting Cast, Sainsbury tells this story with warmth, wisdom and a self-deprecating sense of humour.

Author Bio

After studying PPE at Worcester College, Oxford, Sir Timothy Sainsbury (b. 1932) went into the epoynymous family business, J Sainsbury, serving as director between 1962 and 1974. He launched his political career in 1973 when he was elected as Conservative MP for Hove. While working as PPS to Michael Heseltine for four years he spent a fortnight in Liverpool helping him with the work which led to the famous report It Took a Riot. He served as a Whip and later in the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and became Minister for Trade, then Minister for Industry. His prolific career as a philanthropist overlapped his other careers. Other activities include his former role as chairman of Pendennis Shipyard and his farm.