Multi-million pound upgrade for Sainsbury’s

created at the Sainsbury’s Sprucefield store.

The company is making a multi-million pound investment in the store at Sprucefield Park, stripping it right back and creating a new- look shopping experience for customers utilising the latest technology, efficiency measures and store concepts.

Approximately half of the expected new jobs will come from the retention of temporary colleagues taken on over the recent Christmas period.

The work will be carried out primarily by local firm Montgomery Limited, employing up to 200 people on site during the main phase of the work and it is expected to be completed in early March. During this period the store will aim to cause minimum disruption to customers and will be embarking on a series of supporting projects through the Considerate Constructor scheme in the local community.

John Lockhart, Store Manager, outlined the changes customers could expect in the new store.

He said: “We are delighted to be creating a number of new jobs and retaining many of the colleagues who joined us for the Christmas period as well as creating a fantastic new shopping experience for customers.

“The changes start from the outside in with new signage, trollies, carpark markings and an ungraded façade.

“Inside we are extending our Tu clothing range, fresh food, general merchandise and creating new food counters, including a bakery utilising the latest technology and design.

We will have a brand new Café concept and be the first Sainsbury’s in Northern Ireland with a new style of freezers in the frozen food aisles and we will also have an upgraded till system.”

Mr Lockhard continued: “From an environmental perspective we are utilising the latest equipment with a new biomass boiler being installed and other features including cold air retrieval units, a new lighting system, waterless urinals and percussion taps in the bathrooms as well as low energy refrigeration cabinets with weir screens and blinds.”