By
Kevin Widdop
06:11 EST, 11 April 2012
|
08:39 EST, 11 April 2012
Discount retailer Kwiksave is back in business five years after it went into administration and disappeared from Britain’s high streets.
The first new store in the country is in the village of Little Lever, Bolton, Greater Manchester, after the brand was bought by budget supermarket group, Costcutter.
The move follows the booming trade of credit crunch-busting stores as cash-strapped families seek bargains during the economic downturn.
Closed for business: One of the last two Kwiksave stores to close in Bolton town centre which traded under its old name, ‘Kwik Save’
Discount retailers including Wilkinson, Pound Stretcher and 99p Stores are amongst the top ten independent grocery retailers and their growth mirrors the rise of the big cut-price supermarket chains such as Aldi and Lidl.
It is in stark contrast to the impact the downturn has had on the rest of the retail sector. In badly-affected areas of Britain, more than one in five shops is boarded up, according to a recent report from the Local Data Company.
The new launch of the budget chain could see it thrive in this climate.
Kwiksave bosses will use the Bolton outlet as a litmus test for success and hope the chain will become a familiar name again around Britain.
York-based supermarket group Costcutter bought the rights to the name and has relaunched the brand with a changed name. The revamped logo will see Kwik Save change to Kwiksave under the new plans.
Costcutter propose to market their budget offering with a high-profile TV campaign as part of their strategy to segment its stores to appeal to a wider demographic.
The convenience store brand will feature in a ‘Local Pride’ campaign which will see the supermarket positioned as the hub of the local community.
The new shop, just outside Bolton, was formerly a Premier store and has been refitted by store director Bhavesh Parekh.
This is now: Store director Bhavesh Parekh stands outside the new Kwiksave store on Market Street, Little Lever, outside Bolton
Mr Parekh said: ‘We were asked if we would like to take it on and be the flagship store of the North.
‘It’s been absolutely amazing, we’ve had a very positive reaction from the public and a real uplift of new customers who didn’t used to shop with us.’
Five years of change for retail
One of Britain’s oldest and much-loved high street chains, Woolworth’s, went bust in 2008 after it buckled under huge debt.
It was the first in a wave of closures that rocked the country’s high streets.
News of Woolworth’s demise came on the same day as furniture chain MFI said it would be closing its doors.
Store closures have become familiar news for the retail sector while a number of shops have announced plans to slim back their operations.
Chocolate retailer Thorntons recently announced it is to close 180 of 579 stores over the next three years.
The alcohol market has also been hit with off-licence group First Quench, which owns Threshers and Wine Rack, announcing it will close more than 750 stores in 2009 with the loss of nearly 2,000 jobs.
Plus-sized womenswear chain Peacocks collapsed into administration in January, which will lead to 1,400 jobs across its stores.
He said Tesco is one of his main competitors, which is hoping to open a new store on the former site of Pennine Pets in the town.
Mr Parekh added: ‘We will be officially launching this month with in-store special offers, leafleting and door-to-door.’
If Tesco’s plans are passed it will mean the closure of the Tesco Express in the town centre – built on the site of a former Kwiksave.
Sean Hornby, a former councillor for Little Lever and now landlord of the Queens Hotel pub, said he was pleased to see Kwiksave open.
He added: ‘It’s nice this development has happened because it is in the middle of the town centre and the prices will be affordable.
‘Tesco’s proposal will leave an empty building in the town centre, and take footfall to the other side of Little Lever – it will kill the town centre.’
Tesco bosses say their new plans will create about 100 jobs in Little Lever.
Nick Ivel, chief executive of Costcutter Supermarkets Group, added: ‘Kwiksave is an iconic brand that was a fixture on the high street for many years.
‘We are very excited about opening the doors on the first store in Bolton.’
The supermarket chain’s 50-year history came to an end in 2007 and a select number of outlets were reborn as Fresh Express.
The stores closed abruptly and thousands of employees arrived at work to find ‘closed’ signs making the announcement.
Irish multi-millionaire entrepreneur Brendan Murtagh bought the group and re-branded stores in south Wales, the north, east Midlands and Merseyside.
He bought 56 of the firm’s stores for for £18million, saving about 600 jobs.
Shop assistant Joanne Coulson stands proudly inside the new Kwiksave store which will be used as a litmus test for customer demand
Albert Gubay founded the chain in 1965 in Prestatyn, north Wales, and sold it eight years later for £14million, helping him to amass a fortune of £500million.
Two years ago, he declared his intention to give away his fortune to charity to fulfil a promise he made to God.
The last two Kwiksave stores in Bolton were closed in May 2007.
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lol kool
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As long as they continue the 3 litres of Strongbow for £2.99 I’m happy. Any one fancy joining me on the park bench?
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Here in Canada we have our “expensive” grocery stores and then each of those has a discount grocery store so Loblaws/superstore has No Frills, Sobeys/Foodland has Freshco’s. So most of us do our basic weekly shop at the discount stores and then if we need something special or fresh fish or deli meat we head to one of the more expensive stores. I have found in todays society you dont need to pay full price for anything now if you are careful when and were you shop. Yesterday I picked up a lot of meat and fish that was 30% off I repackaged it into meal sized portions and put it in my freezer. I always buy my bread reduced and freeze it. Just about the only thing I buy weekly is my fresh veg and dairy!
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This is great! Not only do we see a return of a high street favourite but they’re also creating jobs and keeping prices low, unlike other stores that are making staff redundant and hiking up their prices. *cough* The Co-operative *cough*
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This shop always reminds me of my Grandma Grandad; They used to always take us there as kids.
A bit rough around the edges but you can’t beat it!
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In the side-box in the article it says Peacocks is a plus-sized retailer…since Peacocks stock mens, womens and childrens clothes from small to large, that’s not right! Since when was size 8 plus size DM!
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