Tamworth Co-op’s new £1.5m Dosthill convenience store opened its doors this week creating 15 new jobs. The impressive store has been built on the site of the former Dosthill Cosmopolitan Club next to Dosthill Primary School in School Lane.
The move signals Tamworth Co-op’s return to Dosthill after a gap of several decades. It once operated a small food shop in the area.
Tamworth Co-operative Society’s chief executive, Julian Coles, revealed that Dosthill Primary School played a key part in getting the plan off the ground.
“They have co-operated with us from start to finish. They are our near neighbours and we wanted their input from the start to ensure a positive ongoing relationship. We talked everything over with them, from the aesthetics of the building to the needs and safety of the children. Their input was invaluable.”
The school and the society came up with a joint plan to ensure building work was carried out safely with minimal disruption. They also reached agreement on many points including alterations to the timings of food deliveries which will now take place outside peak hours.
“This is a flagship convenience store, which apart from the obvious exception of the town centre supermarket, houses our biggest range of products,” said Mr Coles.
“In fact our Dosthill store now offers a range of fresh food produce to even rival the main supermarket itself. It’s truly a destination store, suitable not just for a top-up, but a complete weekly shop.
“It has boosted the local economy creating new jobs. We’re extremely proud of this development and we want to go on record to thank Dosthill Primary School for the huge part it has played. This has been a shining example of co-operation between a local school and business.”
The Society is now committed to making a positive contribution to Dosthill via its much praised Community Dividend Fund.
The scheme enables shoppers to donate the dividends they receive on their purchases.
There was no question about which Dosthill organisation will be first to benefit.
“It just had to be Dosthill Primary School,” said Mr Coles.
“I would urge all local shoppers to support this scheme which has proved an enormous success in all the areas we trade in. We have helped a huge number of worthwhile community groups and organisations, with donations ranging from a few hundred pounds to more than a thousand pounds. Thanks to the generosity of our customers, we have been able to hand out a five-figure sum each year to worthy causes. We look forward to supporting the Dosthill area in this manner.”
Mr Coles added that the Dosthill convenience store is proof of the Society’s commitment to investing in the Tamworth area.
“This has been a very significant development for us – the first purpose-built store since the early days of co-operation in Tamworth. At 3,000 sq. ft. it is the largest size a convenience store can be and enables us to maximise our offering.
“We have invested heavily in new technology and have significantly improved our carbon footprint by purchasing energy efficient refrigeration and LED lighting.
“We’ve introduced Italian food display cabinets which we believe will be the first of their kind in the UK. We’ve got up-to-date till and security systems, an in-house bakery area and a special takeaway section serving hot drinks and snacks. There is also a 22-bay car park.
“It’s a massive investment and truly shows our faith in investing in the area we have served for more than 150 years.”