Store chain targets town for investment (From Gazette Series)

Store chain targets town for investment

SOMERFIELD is planning a major investment in Dursley within the next 12 months.

The supermarket chain has confirmed its intention to convert its sister store - Kwik Save at Kingshill - into a brand new Somerfield.

It will be a modern supermarket store with a focus on fresh foods and a comprehensive range of own-label food and wine.

The existing store in Parsonage Street will remain open as well, quelling fears that a straight relocation would take services too far away from elderly residents in the Highfields area.

Somerfield spokeswoman Jackie Novels said: "There are many towns where we operate two or more stores.

"The decision follows a major business review of stores to establish the appropriate format for future growth potential and to meet the needs of customers.

"We will continue to monitor and review the performance of the two stores as we do with all the stores within our estate."

The proposed arrangement effectively means that if people want to retain the convenience of the town centre store they must use it well.

No dates have been set for the conversion or the relaunch and Kwik Save will continue to operate as such until the conversion work is due to begin. Ms Novels insisted that the employees of both stores would be kept well informed.

She added: "Our priority will be to communicate to staff and customers as soon as we have detailed plans for the store. "The conversion will involve a major investment to create a modern supermarket environment.

"Most importantly, all staff will transfer to Somerfield from Kwik Save." Dursley Town Mayor Cllr Jane Ball welcomed the move, so long as the supermarket kept its word about retaining the town centre store.

She said: "Being the same shop, it is not as if they are going to be trying to lure customers away from the town centre.

"They must have done their research and decided that having two stores was viable."

No further progress has been made on Tesco's proposals to build a supermarket in the town centre in the six weeks since they re-iterated their desire to do so in April.