Lincolnshire Co-op opens £1.6m community hub in Swineshead

The £1.6 million outlet in High Street has created 15 jobs in the new food store, which features a range of services including an in-store bakery.

The development provides improved facilities at the society’s pharmacy, which has relocated from its previous home, also in High Street. The new branch features a private consultation room and a larger dispensing area.

To prepare for the opening of their new outlet, colleagues from the food store and the pharmacy got together to help the community by undertaking a staff volunteering project at Swineshead St Mary’s Primary School. It saw colleagues paint equipment and tidy up outside areas.

Speaking ahead of the opening, food store manager Emma Relton said: “It was great to do the volunteering so we could introduce ourselves to the community. Hopefully we can come back and do more in the future.

“We’re all excited for the challenge of the new store opening and providing our valued services to people in the area.”

The food store opened its doors at 7am today and the pharmacy started welcoming customers from 9am. An official opening ceremony will be held at 2.30pm.

Ahead of the launch, Sydney Elston, who is working as a pharmacy medicines counter assistant and as a food store customer assistant, said: “We’re all looking forward to the new store coming to Swineshead. There’s a lot more houses here now and it’s going to really help people in the village,” she said.

“The facilities in the pharmacy will make it easier for customers to access medical care and with the food store and pharmacy being in one place, they only need to go to one location to get all they need.”

Lincolnshire Co-op has a Love Local range in every food store and will be promoting it to Swineshead shoppers during the opening celebrations, so they can show their support for local producers.

Every customer who shops on the opening day will get a goodie bag from Lincolnshire Co-op’s own bakers Gadsby’s, featuring a honey and sunflower seed loaf and a chocolate orange cake.

Those who spend over £15 will receive a free Pipers Crisps tasting box.

There’s also a free family fun day at the store on Saturday, July 21, featuring samples from local producer, a Spin to Win game, a face painter and a balloon maker.

Residents can join in the fun from 10am until 4pm.