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"But it's good for the people in the town who are looking for work"
Mick Foster
Published Date:
09 October 2009
Wellingborough reporter
Discount store Home Bargains is set to open a branch in Wellingborough, creating up to 40 new jobs.
Merseyside-based TJ Morris, which owns Home Bargains, said it hopes to have the store up and running by spring next year.

There are more than 170 branches of Home Bargains nationwide – including outlets in Kettering, Corby and Northampton – which employ more than 4,000 people.

TJ Morris has plans to increase the number of stores to 500 over the next decade and confirmed it was offering 2,000 new jobs by opening 50 new shops across the country over the next 12 months.

These stores include the proposed Wellingborough branch, as well as outlets in Stourbridge, Carlisle, Pontypridd, Longton, Shrewsbury, Cwmbran and Glasgow.

Home Bargains sells health and beauty goods, household products, snacks, drinks, alcohol and packaged and tinned foods at discount prices.

The news follows the announcement that QD Stores will open its doors in Kettering town centre on Tuesday, October 20, in the former Woolworths building in High Street.

QD managing director Justin Farrington Smith said: "We are looking forward to the opening in Kettering."

TJ Morris operations director Joe Morris said: "Home Bargains is thrilled to be investing in Wellingborough. We're looking forward to building on the success of the existing Kettering and Northampton stores in this vibrant market town."

A spokesman for the firm said: "The store is scheduled for completion and opening in March/April 2010."

The spokesman said the plans for the store were still subject to legal agreement so it is not guaranteed that the development will go ahead, but Wellingborough is in the firm's list of planned sites.

He added that each Home Bargains store creates between 30 and 40 jobs.

Mick Foster, of Butts Road, Wellingborough, said: "It's good for the town to have firms move into empty shops but I think Wellingborough could do with a bigger range of shops – a lot of people go to Northampton or Milton Keynes because they have more of a variety.

"But it's good for the people in the town who are looking for work."

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  • Last Updated: 09 October 2009 8:58 AM
  • Source: Northants Evening Telegraph
  • Location: Kettering
 
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NicB,

09/10/2009 09:54:25
Um, yet another discount or cheap & cheerful store? It's good that new jobs might arrive, but the town can't realistically support any more, and it's going to do nothing to encourage any of the shoppers who go to MK or Northampton to try Wellingborough instead.

Seriously, our council needs to do something concrete to get a decent sized quality store in the centre.
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Northants Green Party,

Wellingborough 09/10/2009 14:00:45
Another discount retailer yes, but that's what seems to do well in Wellingborough. More jobs locally is good and an empty unit up the town centre filled is also good. I too would like to see something different to attract shoppers into Wellingborough and away from places like Milton Keynes, but I can’t see it happening unless the economy picks up.
Jonathan Hornett.
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Michelle T,

w.boro 10/10/2009 22:37:21
We need some good clothes stores for all, also a decent shop that sells decent toys, everytime i have to buy a birthday pressie for a child i have to resort to internet to n'pton, same for christmas pressies.
99p - £1 - discount stores are good but all sell the same really, another discountg store surely will only sell the same ??
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workinghardgirlie,

wellingborough 12/10/2009 17:57:32
I agree. We have enough TAT shops We need shops to encourage us to stay in the town instead of ravelling to Northampton or Milton Keynes to get what we want. Shape up Wellingborough and give us what we really want.
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Tony Sharp,

Wellingborough 13/10/2009 16:00:53
Calls for the Council to bring shops to the town to encourage shoppers to stay in Wellingborough, rather than go to Milton Keynes or Northampton are a waste of time. It is not the place of the Council to do this and it is not Wellingborough's fault that retail is in decline.

It is retailers who decide where they want to trade. Department stores do not open here because of the relatively small population, proximity to larger towns and the limited spending power of the population. Most people do not realise that department stores are actually paid to incentivise them to open in locations.

Wellingborough should not be competing with neighbouring towns to have an identikit High Street that looks the same as so many others. The town ideally needs to have a unique proposition, such as niche stores in a character setting that people will travel to.

But as shoppers have exercised choice and not supported Wellingborough's retail in years gone by, resulting in the retail exodus, what incentive is there for even niche retailers to come here? All the Council could do is reduce lease costs - but that would just encourage more bargain shops to open.
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wii_man76,

Kettering 20/12/2009 09:17:38
Have any of you actually been to a Home Bargains store? They are most definitely not a pound or 99p store they are a discounter and there is a huge difference!

They sell toys and games at a fraction of the price you would find at ToysRus, alcohol, soft drinks, sweets, stationery - all top branded items that have been discounted down to sell as fast as possible.

Each time you go in to one of their stores you will see a lot of new stock as a lot of it once it has gone, it's gone!

Home Bargains is a great place to grab a bargain, but take my advice, if you see something you want then buy it straight away as if you don't, someone else will and then there will be none left!

:)
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