A MASSIVE £ 1 million refurbishment of Heart of England Co-op's Foodcentre store at Balsall Common has already paid dividends with society officials reporting an increase in sales of over 30 per cent since the relaunch.
George Flower, General Manager of Heart of England food division, said: "We have had a lot of positive feedback. Our customers have given the new store a big thumbs up.
"This major refurbishment and extension was made possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of all the staff. Customers are now able to enjoy better service and a wider choice of goods thanks to the £ 1m investment."
The store has new ceilings, flooring, lighting and frieze details to offer members, customers and staff a better shopping experience.
There are more checkouts and the sales area has been increased by around 50 per cent with a bigger emphasis on fresh food.
The society has also installed environmentally friendly refrigeration which uses less power, installed public toilets and the car park has been resurfaced.
The new store manager for the Foodcentre is Ian Pepall, who joined Heart of England in April last year. He succeeds Michael Simpson, who died recently after almost 20 years service as manager.
The opening ceremony ? attended by children from the nearby Balsall Common Primary School who released 600 numbered ?prize balloons' to mark the event ? was also designated as a tribute to Mr Simpson, a highly regarded and dedicated member of the society who, Mr Flower said, would have loved the new store.
Meanwhile Heart of England Chief Executive Ali Kurji has told the News that the society is investing heavily in its stores, having spent £ 329,000 on upgrading its Lateshop at New Bilton in addition to the Balsall Common spend.
Further plans include additional investment of £ 1.9m over the coming months, with plans for a state of the art funeral home, a central hub and the refurbishment of a store in the Coundon district of Coventry.
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