Following our recent announcement to relocate our existing store in Ledbury we have now submitted our proposals to Herefordshire Council.

The new store would be 33,000sqft in size, an increase from the current 11,000sqft. This will make it about the same size as the store on Bewell Street in Hereford. The store will feature wider aisles, and a greater number of checkouts.

50% of comments were in favour of the proposals. 1,146 people attended our exhibition. 635 people left feedback at the exhibition, or returned comments to us by post or email. 42% of the other comments were against, 7% unsure and 1% had no clear preference.

The new store would be selling an enhanced range of the goods that it already sells. We will be offering customers more choice, and including the products they are asking for.

An enhanced range of products and greater variety of the food we stock is what our customers have been telling us that they want. We do not want to continue the present situation of being able to only offer our customers a limited number of the items that they want.

The only new departments in a new store will be clothing and homeware. We will not be selling white-goods, i.e. washing machines, dishwashers. The new store will retain 75% food and 25% non-food.

The new store would create 75 new jobs, whilst safeguarding the existing 125 at the Orchard Lane store. Members of staff who work in the current store will continue to work at the new store.

300 car parking spaces will be provided for shoppers, including dedicated disabled and parent & toddler bays.

The timescale is now up to Herefordshire Council who are now engaging in their own consultation process.