We’re celebrating 125 years of serving Coca‑Cola in Great Britain, together with local corner shop bosses like the Tomes family.

When the Tomes family first opened their convenience store in Swanage, on Dorset’s Isle of Purbeck in 1908, Edward VII was on the throne; Television had not yet been invented; and Coca‑Cola had only recently arrived in Great Britain. 

More than a century later – and after withstanding the effects of world wars, rationing and pandemics – their business has stood the test of time. 

Still occupying the same spot on Swanage’s High Street where it has served its local community for 117 years and counting, the store is truly a family affair. Handed down through five generations, it is today operated by Keith Tomes, his sister Marie, sons Chris and Darren, and niece Michelle. 

Originally opened by Keith’s great-grandfather, under the name of “H.E.M Tomes Groceries and Provision”, the shop passed to Keith’s great-aunt and grandfather before his father, Harry, took over the running of the business in 1956, and eventually handed it on to his own children. 

With no major supermarket within 20 miles, the store – today operating as Costcutter Swanage - has always been a vital support to the local community, and the same goes for the Tomes family who proudly serve them. 

Keith himself has devoted his time over several decades as a coach at Swanage and Wareham Rugby Club, while Darren volunteers as a senior helmsman on the local RNLI lifeboat crew. Chris, meanwhile, is deputy mayor of the town and plays a major role in delivering the local summer Carnival – the biggest event in the annual calendar both for the local community, and for many local businesses who benefit from the revenue it generates through tourism. 

This year, we’re celebrating 125 years of serving Coca‑Cola in Great Britain, together with our local independent retail partners like Keith.

Corner shops, and the “bosses” who run them, aren’t just an essential part of the Coca‑Cola system – they are a pillar of communities whose value to society goes beyond the products they sell.

That is why – to celebrate our local corner shop bosses – Keith and the Tomes family have been immortalised by talented Gen Z photographer Serena Brown, known for her work on bringing the stories of real people to the front of her camera lens. Brown produced a gallery of photos celebrating the commitment, heritage, know-how and personalities behind Britain’s corner shop counters.

Similarly, Director Ross Bolidai has produced a moving mini-documentary that looks at the Tomes family story, and how our local corner shops boast a vital role within communities and in supporting fellow independent businesses throughout Dorset.