Asda Bangor colleague is ‘Happy to Chat’ this Christmas

Robert Loney is a well-known and friendly face at Asda Bangor, where’s he’s worked for 20 years across many different departments.

Robert started his journey at the Bangor store two decades ago on the fish counter, where his extensive knowledge of fish made him a favourite among regular customers who visited him daily.

He later moved to the checkout desks, where he continued to brighten customers' days with his cheerful personality and easy chat. Now, working as a Porter, Robert continues to put smiles on the faces of everyone he meets, taking the time to chat to customers during his daily work throughout the store.

Robert is fully supporting Asda’s Christmas initiative, designed to encourage more conversations during the festive season—a time that studies show can be especially lonely for many. As part of the initiative, Asda colleagues are wearing 'Happy to Chat' festive badges to signal their willingness to have a friendly chat with customers during their in-store shopping.

Robert (65), said: "I’ll be wearing my Happy to Chat badge during all of my shifts over the Christmas period. To be honest, I probably don’t need the badge to let people know that I’m happy to chat as everyone knows they can come and talk to me at any time anyway!

"It's important to remember that even the smallest of interactions can turn someone’s day around to make it just that wee bit better, especially during Christmas.”

Ami Craig, Community Champion, Asda Bangor, added: “Robert is very popular among our customers at Asda Bangor and for good reason, he loves a good chat and takes the time to get to know his regular customers.

"He helps in small ways that mean a lot – for instance retrieving trolleys for elderly customers who may need support or grabbing newspapers for customers to help save them the trip of walking the whole way across the store. He is always willing to help and comes to work with a smile.”