A DEAL has been clinched to convert Dunstable’s former Eight Bells pub into a bigger and better home for a nearby Co-op store.
The ground floor of the two-storey Westfield Road pub will be transformed into the new 4,000 sq ft store, with a three-bed flat above the shop.
Central Beds Council has granted planning permission for the change of use, a ground floor extension and some demolition work.
A shopping parade opposite the site includes a small Co-op.
Now that Co-op team hope to move to the new store, with a sales area three times the size of the existing shop, in late summer. The Co-operative Food said all of the staff will transfer to the new leased premises.
Paresh Pancholi, regional acquisitions manager, said: “The investment will bring a larger, brighter store and improved range and service, ensuring a more pleasant shopping experience for people picking up their groceries locally.
“We look forward to continuing to meet the community’s daily food shopping needs and, in the best traditions of The Co-operative, make our contribution to local life.”
A planning statement with the application said the Co-op has a long lease on the existing shop and was considering using it for another Co-op operation, such as a pharmacy, travel outlet or opticians. It added: “If this is not viable, the Co-op will actively market the property with a view to either sub-letting or assigning the lease as quickly as possible.”