New Co-op and Bewiched coffee shop set to open at Glenvale Park's local centre in Wellingborough

The Co-op and Bewiched are set to open at Glenvale Park’s local centre in Wellingborough.

Glenvale Park LLP, the lead developers behind the 3,000-home development on the northern edge of Wellingborough, has announced a new Co-op store and local independent coffee chain Bewiched will open on the development in late summer 2024.

They will be part of Glenvale Park’s new local centre, which once complete in late summer, will include a mix of retail and food and drink amenities.

The retail offering will complement the existing amenities already available at the development, including a new family play park that opened this month.

The new food store is being opened by the Heart of England Co-operative Society which owns the eight-unit local centre.

In addition to meat, groceries, dairy products, wine and spirits, the Co-op will sell freshly made milkshakes, hot drinks, self-serve fizzy drinks, fresh flowers and children’s toys.

There will also be an in-store bakery and deli, a chilled food-to-go range, Amazon parcel lockers and self-service check-outs.

The eco-friendly store will have electric charging points in the car park, as well as an air conditioning and refrigeration system using around 40 per cent less energy than older equipment.

Chief executive Ali Kurji said owning the retail centre, and the new convenience store within it, represents an exciting and significant capital investment for the society.

“This will be our 39th food store and second local retail centre.

"We opened a similar development in March 2022 at Lower Heathcote in Warwick where we also have a store.

“We are looking forward to embarking on this new chapter in our history and to helping other businesses which rent out our units the chance to prosper.

“The eight units, including our food store and a Bewiched coffee shop, will create new jobs and provide a range of valuable services to the public.”

Bewiched opened its first store locally in 2010 and has been growing steadily ever since.

With 15 stores across the Midlands, its founders say the Glenvale Park opening will help with their ambition of delivering 40 Bewiched sites by 2026.

Bewiched founder Matt Fountain built the business from the ground up in just 10 years when he pumped redundancy money into his first shop in Wellingborough.

Founder and managing director Matt said: “When we launched the business twelve years ago from our unit in Wellingborough, our goal was to create something which set a new standard in terms of customer service for the UK coffee industry.

“Having grown from strength to strength in the years since our first shop, it’s great to be opening another Bewiched in the town, coming back to our roots to bring our tasty treats to the new community at Glenvale Park.

“As a resident of Wellingborough, it’s fantastic to be able to grow the business in Northamptonshire and see a real community forming among our customers.”

Mark Best, director of Midtown Capital Ltd, managing partner of Glenvale Park LLP said: “We’re thrilled to have Co-op and an independent, local business like Bewiched join our community.”

And he added: “Bewiched and Co-op are the perfect addition to our placemaking ambitions and I can’t wait to see the growing Glenvale community enjoy the tasty treats they have to offer when they launch to customers next year.”