New Co-op store quickly rising up

Construction of a new Co-op store which is creating more than 25 new jobs in Walsall is forging ahead with the main structure now in place.

The 3,000 sq ft shop is being built on the former Vauxhall Motors site along the Broadway with an anticipated completion date of November.

Work on clearing the site started in June and the shape of the building is now clearly visible as the scheme pushes forward.

The existing Midcounties post office which is based nearby will be relocated to the new store on the corner of Hawes Road to provide improved facilities.

It will fit in with other nearby shops and serve residential properties in the area. The Steve Thompson Vauxhall dealership was empty for two years after shutting in 2010 with the loss of 20 jobs.

It had been trading for 40 years. The business closed just five years after the site's showroom had undergone a £250,000 revamp.

It was put up for sale in 2009 following the retirement of owner Mr Thompson. Although the sister Vauxhall dealership in Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, was bought by Vertu Motors in a £2.8million deal, no buyer could be found for the Walsall building.

Andy Cresswell, deputy chief executive of the Co-op, said: "We are delighted to be investing in an area where we already have a major presence which includes a number of food stores, travel and funeral branches and regional offices." It comes as 30 jobs will be created through the opening of another new Co-op store in Walsall Wood by the beginning of next year.

The convenience shop is being built on the junction of Lichfield Road and Brownhills Road and construction is already under way.

The old Midcounties Co-operative headquarters in Walsall town centre are also due to be reopened and expanded after standing empty for over a year. The office was shut during last year.