Home Bargains opening date announced
Work to breathe new life in to an out-of-city retail park is taking shape with an opened date announced for a new discount chain store at the site.
Home Bargains will open at the Peel Centre, on Stafford Road in Wolverhampton, on June 10.
A sign outside the store states the company is recruiting employees, although it is not yet clear how many.
The retail store was occupied by DIY chain Focus. United Carpets and Beds also trade at the centre, which was hit by a fire in 2011.
Home Bargains, owned by TJ Morris, has refurbished the store.
Wolverhampton council included the centre in its regeneration masterplan called City Centre Area Action Plan.
Last night leader Roger Lawrence said: "Any new investment is crucial for the city's future.
"The area has been a bit of a problem for a while with the empty store, but this changes things significantly.
"Home Bargains, I think, will be an excellent addition to the range of retail stores we have on offer.
"And the jobs will be welcome also."
Councillor Lawrence said the city needed a mix of retail offerings from inside and outside the city centre.
He said: "Not only will it benefit the retail park, but being close to the city centre, you hope many shoppers will walk in to the centre, benefitting trade there."
Peel Holdings, which owns Peel Group, had been considering how to redevelop the site as plans for a £20 million supermarket fell through after the blaze. But the plans have not materialised.
Furniture Warehouse was completely destroyed in the 2011 fire started by arsonists.
Flames ripped through the 80,000sq ft building fuelled by tens of thousands of pounds worth of furniture, including sofas and coffee tables.
Roger Wheeldon, director of development at Peel Holdings, previously said the development of Home Bargains was 'good news' for the centre's future.
