Mr. Colin Anderson

MR. Colin Alexander John Anderson, OBE, of Drumnasole, Listooder Road, Saintfield, who died on February 25, was a prominent businessman and one of the pioneers of supermarket retailing in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Anderson, who was 85, worked in Anderson & McAuley, the Belfast family business which operated the city centre department store and the out of town supermarket known as Supermac on the Saintfield Road.

He retired as chairman in the 1980s, having started his working life with the Belfast accountants, Wright Fitzsimons and Cameron.

Along with his brother, Allen, he was part of the change in retailing during the 1960s and 1970s which saw the growth of out of town shopping centres.

Supermac’s opening in 1964 brought this retail revolution to the British Isles, let alone just Northern Ireland. The Supermac site is now known as Forestside, which continues to contribute successfully to the local economy as a major shopping centre in south Belfast.

Mr. Anderson was also active in retailing at UK level, in particular with Associated Independent Stores, of which he was chairman in the late 70s. He was a long serving life member of the Institute of Directors, which he joined in 1956.

He was a member of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and chairman of the Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU), which was a channel for government support for small manufacturing businesses. His charitable activities included the Belfast Abbeyfield and the RNLI.

In 1978 Mr. Anderson received the OBE for his services to retailing. In 1984 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the County Borough of Belfast and 1995 a Vice Lord Lieutenant, completing his service in 2002.

The funeral service in Saintfield Parish Church on March 1 was conducted by the Rev. Chris Pollock. The tribute was given by Mr. Anderson’s son, Peter, and the prayers were led by his other son, Tim.

Mr. Anderson was predeceased by his wife, Denys, and is survived by his children, Peter, Wendy and Tim, grandchildren Emily, Harriet and Sam, and the family circle.