HOMEBASE in Rugby looks set to become a Sainsbury’s after the supermarket giant acquired ten of the home improvement stores across the country.
The investment by J Sainsbury PLC is expected to be around £130million, including buying the stores, the cost of the leases and the costs of fitting them out.
The conversion of the sites, which also include other Midlands branches in Bromsgrove and Sutton Coldfield, is expected to create approximately 1,000 new Sainsbury’s roles.
Sainsbury’s has said it would guarantee an interview for any Homebase colleagues who are placed at risk of redundancy as a result of the move.
The company said the move was a key ambition of the Next Level Sainsbury’s plan to offer more food choice to more customers.
Rugby was one of the key target locations earmarked by Sainsbury’s for a new supermarket.
The firm said the addition of new locations would mean nearly 400,000 more people will be within a 10-minute drive of a Sainsbury’s supermarket.
The new stores will showcase Sainsbury’s latest food offer with a refreshed, innovative look and feel and excellent sustainability credentials.
The first of the stores will be opened next summer and all will be converted by the end of 2025.
Simon Roberts, J Sainsbury PLC’s chief executive officer, J Sainsbury plc said: “Sainsbury’s food business continues to go from strength to strength as we push ahead with our Next Level Sainsbury’s plan.
“We have the best combination of value and quality in the market and that’s winning us customers from all our key competitors and driving consistent growth in volume market share.
“We want to build on this momentum which is why we are growing our supermarket footprint.
“Our ambition is to be customers’ first choice for food and these new stores will showcase some of the best that Sainsbury’s supermarkets have to offer to even more communities around the country.”
