SAINSBURY'S has announced that it is to start work later this month to refresh and improve its store on South Street. Despite the move, the company has stated it remains committed to the masterplan for the East Street redevelopment in which it is a partner, and which includes a new Sainsbury's store. Work is scheduled to start on March 27 and will be completed in mid-May. The store will remain open throughout the refurbishment, except for around five days before the store is relaunched to enable the final installation of "the new look". The move follows a series of customer focus groups that were held by Sainsbury's to better understand the local community's needs for its store. As a result, the company says the newly refurbished shop will offer customers a wider range of products and a more comfortable shopping experience. Anthony Shapland, development executive at Sainsbury's, said: "The South Street store is in need of improvement if it is to continue to meet the needs of the local community. Therefore, we have decided to refurbish the store as part of a national programme to improve the shopping experience for our customers and increase the range of products on offer. "Sainsbury's remains committed to regenerating the East Street area in line with the overall masterplan and will continue to work closely with Crest Nicholson and the rest of the development team to achieve this." Terry Prescott, of Sainsbury's East Street development partner Crest Nicholson, added: "While the main East Street redevelopment plans will improve the entire area, it is just as important that in the interim Sainsbury's customers can take advantage of the same improved store programme that is being put in place across the rest of the country, and as a result we are taking the refurbishment plans into account as we work with Sainsbury's on delivering the scheme as a whole."
