Village Co-op to close for five months in £1m revamp

THE Co-op in Bransgore is to undergo a £1m revamp from the beginning of next month, closing its doors until March 2021.

Village customers will be served by a temporary walk-in shop while the work is under way – which will see an additional 600 square feet of additional retail space.

The supermarket is taking over the first floor of the building on Oaktree Parade which was previously home to a solicitors firm. A Co-op spokesperson said this would be used for storage, back-up chillers, staff area and a lift, enabling more of the ground floor to be used for retail.

The store will close on 1st November and is expected to reopen in March next year, when it will run on 100% renewable electricity, a statement from the Co-op said.

Co-op area manager Matt Dawe said he was delighted with “such a significant investment” in Bransgore.

“We are confident that the new-look store will be able to better serve the community, not only through increased shop-floor space but also with an enhanced back-of-shop capability which enables our range, choice and availability to improve,” he said.

“We are committed to serving the community, and recognise the part that a convenience store plays in local village life. That is why we are introducing one of our larger walk-in temporary shops.

“The pop-up store will not only continue to serve the community with hundreds of their favourite Co-op products and everyday essentials during the works, but also, because it is stocked from our nearby Highcliffe store, it can cater to personal requirements too.”

Co-op’s membership scheme will also operate in the temporary store, while students who are Totum cardholders can obtain 10% discount off groceries at the shop.

To enable the refurb, Co-op was granted planning permission to replace refrigeration units and fencing, and install a new front door and shopfront.