Member Article

Huddersfield electricians power up new Kirkwood Hospice shop

Work is underway to transform an old Co-Operative store into an all-new shop for Huddersfield charity Kirkwood Hospice.

Electricians from Marsh-based Ti Installations have almost completed the rip out of the former Co-op on North Road in Kirkburton, to make way for 678sqft of retail space for the local charity.

Working alongside shopfitting specialist AJC Joinery, Ti have taken the unit to a bare shell before installing new cabling, sockets, lighting, and electric heaters. The team has also brought safe power to what will become first floor offices; tested fire alarms throughout the property and relocated the fuseboard to suit the new shop layout.

The works are part of a project that will enable the well-known charity to provide a better and more spacious retail experience for customers in the area. The new shop is due to open on Wednesday 27 January.

Commenting on the move, David Compston, Head of Retail at Kirkwood Hospice said: “We’ve been in our existing Kirkburton store for seven years and have achieved a fantastic local presence during that time. We’ve worked hard to optimise the space in order to stock a wide selection of products and provide a welcoming environment for customers. As a result the shop has proven a crucial part of our continued efforts to raise much needed funds and support local people facing life threatening illnesses.

“But the shop has always been very popular, so we’ve long needed more sorting, display and retail space. When the Co-op moved to its new site over the road, it provided the perfect opportunity for us to expand. This Kirkburton relocation will further strengthen our 21-strong network of shops, benefitting our organisation and customers alike.”

This is not the first time Ti Installations has teamed up with AJC Joinery to transform old, disused retail space into new Kirkwood Hospice shops. Last year, the traders overhauled a redundant kitchen interiors outlet in Almondbury to support the charity’s expansion in that village, and in late 2015, a full shop refit with LED lighting installation took place in Wyke.

David continues: “We’ve always been really impressed by the collaborative approach that these guys take. They pay great attention to the needs of our shops and offer advice and suggestions that will save us money whilst improving our retail space, as we grow.”

Kirkwood’s network of shops help to raise around £2 million each year for the Hospice, which provides specialist palliative care for people across Kirklees, as well as supporting their family and friends during their loved one’s illness and in bereavement.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katie Mallinson .