New Sainsbury’s set to open
A NEW Sainsbury’s store will open in Bishop’s Waltham this year.
The Neighbourhood Hub store will be twice the size of a Sainsbury’s Local and one of only three across the country.
It will replace the existing Budgens on Winchester Road and will include an Argos collection point service.
The move comes after the company failed in its bid to build a new store in the market town, the midpoint of a long-established route between Winchester and Portsmouth, five years ago.
The store will stock a wide range of popular everyday essentials including household products, ready meals, fresh products and food to go.
There will also be a selection of beauty products and flowers, as well as fresh juice and coffee to go.
As the new Sainsbury’s store will be replacing the existing Budgens, there will be a temporary closure of approximately 12 weeks from the beginning of September while the building is refurbished and made ready to open as a new Sainsbury’s Neighbourhood Hub in November.
Sainsbury’s will be taking on the existing staff members at Budgens.
Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s property director, said: “We’re looking forward to opening the doors to a brand new Sainsbury’s Neighbourhood Hub store in Bishop’s Waltham this November. We know the local community is going to enjoy the wide range of food and convenience products on offer in this new store. We will continue to keep the community updated on our plans to refurbish this store.”
In 2015 the supermarket giant announced a proposed new store in Bishop’s Waltham would not be built.
Campaigners had fought a two-year battle over the plans, arguing the store would have a negative impact on the area’s character and High Street, but many residents also backed the proposed 35,000sq ft (3,250sq m) development.
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