Morrisons store set for big revamp
9:41am Thursday 8th May 2008
ACOMB'S biggest supermarket is set for a major expansion, allowing it to create new jobs, widen its aisles and sell a greater range of goods.
Morrisons has submitted plans to City of York Council for a two-storey and single-storey extension to its store in Front Street.
It wants to increase the net floorspace of the former Safeway supermarket from 1,231 square metres to 1,991 square metres.
A planning appraisal document, drawn up by Peacock & Smith Ltd on behalf of the retailer, says that, like many former Safeways, the store is smaller than a typical, purpose-built Morrisons outlet.
"A number of compromises have been made to accommodate as much of the Morrison trading format as possible," it says. "However, the current arrangement at Acomb is still very much a compromise and the store needs to be larger to provide the qualitative improvements and choice to customer service that would flow from a typically larger Morrison store."
The document says the amount of shelving and promotional space is inadequate to stock the range of goods required to satisfy customer demand. The aisles are also too narrow, resulting in congestion.
The first-floor extension will allow for additional warehousing, while the ground-floor extension is primarily intended to increase the sales floor area. "There will be significant improvements to the customer environment, shopper comfort, choice and quality of provision."
The report says the store currently employs 166 people, 123 full-time and 43 part-time, and the expansion would result in the recruitment of an additional 14 staff, seven full-time and seven part-time.
"It is Morrison's policy to recruit staff locally and to offer a comprehensive programme of training and career enhancement."
No changes are planned to the location of the store entrance and exit, and there will be no change to the number of spaces in the supermarket car park.