A DISCOUNT retailer is set to open its second and biggest shop in Colchester creating as many as 100 jobs as part of ongoing work to transform a now-disused shop in the city.
Popular store Home Bargains is preparing to launch what will be its biggest site in Colchester later this year.
The country-wide chain, which already has a site at Turner Rise Retail Park, has revealed its plans for the former B&Q store in Lightship Way.
According to bosses from Home Bargains, the huge new site will boast everything from a bakery and in-store café to a large garden centre.
A spokesman said: “This will be our second and biggest store in Colchester to date, expected to open in August 2024.
"The store will be over 34,000 sq ft and as well as our usual amazing Top Brands at Bottom Prices, across both food and non-food ranges, we will also have an extensive offering of fresh, chilled and frozen products.
"We are delighted to announce that this store will include a bakery, instore café and a large garden centre.
"We will be looking to recruit about 100 new team members, from the local community, with roles being advertised on our careers website jobs.homebargains.co.uk/ when they are available.”
Greenstead councillor Tim Young said he is delighted with the news of the discount store opening in his ward.
He said: “We, as the ward councillors, give a cautious welcome to Home Bargains and hope they will recruit staff locally, as the need for jobs in the area is great.
“It will be good to have the unit open again and I hope they are prepared to invest in the area and manage some of the traffic issues that will arise.”
Home Bargains has been at its Turner Rise site in Colchester for more than a decade.
The new store will fill a vacant space at the former B&Q site, which has been empty since the DIY retailer relocated to Stane Park in 2021.
Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s, which owns Argos, first eyed up the huge site in 2016 and was granted permission to build a new supermarket there.
However, plans later changed, with Colchester Council approving its refreshed bid to reopen the site’s doors with a variety of offerings.
Work on the Local Fulfillment Centre for Argos at the northern end of the building began last year and has since been completed.
As well as this, there was space for a retail unit as well as a 15,000 sq ft discount gym.
It is currently unknown which brands will occupy the final additional unit.
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