Member Article

Sainsbury’s Talbot Road store heralds Gateway scheme in Blackpool

The new 120,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s store at Muse Development’s Talbot Gateway scheme in Blackpool is now open for business.

Providing 58,000 sq ft of retail space, including homeware and Sainsbury’s award-winning Tu clothing range, a café, a Timpson and a dentist, the store was officially opened today (23 July 2014) by two local school children who had won a Bag for Life design competition.

The Worshipful the Mayor of Blackpool Councillor Val Haynes and the Consort Mr Alan Haynes also attended the opening.

The store, which has created almost 300 jobs for Blackpool, was built by Shepherd Construction and Barr Construction. Featuring six travelators which zig zag behind the glass-fronted store, the supermarket is a ‘milestone’ store, complete with customer-facing counters and heritage branding representing Blackpool through the ages.

Sainsbury’s is the final piece of phase 1 developments at the 25-acre scheme, which will bring new retail and leisure offerings to the seaside resort.

Store manager, Ian Collins, said: “The opening of the Blackpool Talbot Road store is a career highlight for me and my team.

“This is a landmark store in an impressive new development, which is already making a difference to local people. We’re thrilled that Blackpool has already embraced the store and the town’s landmark – Blackpool Tower – will be turned orange to mark the occasion.”

Sainsbury’s opening follows shortly behind those of Subway and Fill, a family-owned independent sandwich and coffee bar, tenants which took 1,108 sq ft and 1,071 sq ft respectively.

Mike Horner, regional director at Muse Developments, said: “It’s wonderful to have reached this stage of development and have Sainsbury’s open its doors to the public.

“We have worked very closely together with Blackpool Council to provide a high quality scheme which is transforming the area around Blackpool North railway station.

“The striking design of the Sainsbury’s store completes a trio of new buildings around Bickerstaffe Square which together provide an emphatic statement that Blackpool is changing for the better.

“We’re also delighted with levels of interest received from local, regional and national operators and are looking forward to making further announcements in the near future.”

When complete, Talbot Gateway will provide new retail, commercial and community space for Blackpool, in addition to town centre parking and transport. Retail units are currently being marketed by Duxbury’s Commercial, DTZ and Montagu Evans and available between 1,000 sq ft and 2,691 sq ft.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .