Sainsbury's unveils almost 350 jobs at new Wolverhampton store

The supermarket giant is building a £60 million store in Raglan Street near the city centre.

And today, with the supermarket due to open in two months' time, Sainsbury's revealed it would be taking on 340 new staff.

It also announced that 192 employees from its current city centre store in St George's Parade will move to Raglan Street.

The move was welcomed as a 'big boost' to Wolverhampton, coming as it does months after the city council revealed it was axing 2,000 jobs.

Some of the 340 positions have already been posted on the supermarket firm's website. They include both permanent and temporary jobs.

Wolverhampton MP Emma Reynolds today said: "It's great that Sainsbury's are not only going to be moving to a brand new store that will regenerate that area of the city, but they're also recruiting 349 people.

"It's a tough time at the moment and this is a welcome boost for the city."

Pat McFadden, MP for Wolverhampton South East, said: "It's very good that progress is being made.

"I welcome all investment and job creation in the city."

The long-awaited store has been more than 10 years in the making.

But people driving past the Raglan Street development will have seen the building making brisk progress in recent weeks, ahead of opening in late June.

Wolverhampton City Council's regeneration chief Peter Bilson praised Sainsbury's for the speed in which is it finishing the project.

"We know they've given themselves a tight schedule but they're moving at a pace which is very visible – it's creating expectation and excitement," he said.

"There'll be a lot of people in and around Wolverhampton eyeing up those jobs.

"It's just the sort of boost the city needs."

Tesco has plans to build a store on the other side of the city centre, although work was dramatically halted two months ago.

However, MP Mr McFaden said he had been assured the work would go ahead next year.

Around 10 years ago a row erupted between Sainsbury's and Tesco over who could build a store in Raglan Street, sparking a bitter legal battle.

Both firms owned part of Raglan Street, but Tesco eventually settled on the former Royal Hospital site in All Saints.

Sainsbury's St George's Parade store will remain open and trade until the replacement store opens this summer. And work on the Chapel Ash island relating to the Sainsbury's development was due to finish today.