New Co-op store for Irthlingborough could create up to 25 jobs

Central England Co-op has outlined plans to open more than 10 new stores and funeral homes and revamp dozens more as part of an investment plan throughout 2018 – including a food store and funeral home in Irthlingborough.

The town’s new store will be built where the Express Works factory used to stand in Church Street.

This piece of land has been vacant since the buildings were demolished following a fire in 2007.

A spokesman for Central England Co-op said they are planning to open the new store in the Autumn and the site could create between 15 and 25 jobs.

It is part of a multi-million pound project by Central England Co-op which will see new sites launched across its trading estate of 16 counties.

New food stores and funeral homes are currently planned for Birmingham, Peterborough, Yorkshire, Derby, Leicestershire, Suffolk and Nottingham as well as Northamptonshire.

A further 10 stores and 20 funeral homes across a wide range of towns and cities will also be given a major makeover as part of the plans.

Martyn Cheatle, chief executive of Central England Co-op, said: “We are really proud of the success of our food business, especially with our continued good performance in what is a highly competitive and increasingly uncertain trading environment.

“We want to continue with that success and this is why we are committed to an ambitious growth and investment strategy during the next 12 months.

“We are now in the process of getting ready to open and revamp dozens of food stores and funeral homes and we cannot wait to welcome colleagues, members and shoppers, both old and new, into them for the first time during 2018.”

The new and revamped sites will feature upgraded fixtures and fittings including the latest in pioneering new energy efficient refrigeration technologies to minimise environmental impact and LED lighting.

The opening of all new food stores will be celebrated with a special golden ticket giveaway, where 50 shoppers will be able to win everything from a big screen television to hundreds of pounds in vouchers.

Customers and members will be able to enjoy everything from everyday necessities to something a little more special as a result alongside a range of community benefits.

This includes the Community Dividend Fund which last year saw 122 groups share more than £200,000 to pay for everything from defibrillators to vital school equipment.

For more information about the former factory site in Irthlingborough where the new store will be, click here