Express & Star

Up she goes - new Wolverhampton superstore takes shape

IT has been in the pipeline for years but shoppers in Wolverhampton can finally see how close a new supermarket is to opening after a giant sign was installed.

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The £60million Sainsbury's store is due to open its doors in the next few weeks.

It will replace the firm's current city centre store in St George's Parade.

The giant iconic orange letters have now been lifted into place above the the sleek glass frontage and the store is on track to open around the end of the month although no specific date has yet been announced.

Paul Percox, manager of Sainsbury's St Mark's, Wolverhampton, said: "We're all very excited about the opening of the new store.

"We are now in the final stages of development and the building is starting to take shape.

"This is a long-awaited store that will provide a fantastic Sainsbury's shopping experience for the local community."

Once completed, the new store, situated just off the city's ring road, will house an in-store café, a petrol station, a 700-space car park, a recycling centre and a gym.

A total of 340 jobs are being created as part of the opening and 192 employees from the St George's Parade store will be transferred to the new site.

Hundreds of people have already applied for positions.

Meanwhile, night-time roadworks are being carried out on the city's ring road and on nearby streets to support the development.

Resurfacing work is due to end on Ring Road St Marks, Chapel Ash and Great Brickkiln Street on June 14.

The development follows a 10-year battle between supermarket giants Sainsbury's and Tesco, which reached the courts.

Both firms wanted to open on the site but Tesco is now due to start work on its own store on the old Royal Hospital site next year.

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