Double birthday for early believer in the Quays’ dream
As we celebrate in this edition a decade since the renaissance of Gloucester began, it is worth remembering a certain business which committed to the dream from the off. Visitors may marvel at the emergence of Llanthony Priory, the restoration of the former warehouse buildings, the new college and the new supercharged draw that is Gloucester Quays. But every development needs a vote of confidence at the start. They may never think about it, but the 35,000 weekly customers at the water-side Sainsbury’s supermarket are shopping in a development which did just that. Which means this year it too
celebrates 10 years – coinciding with the parent company’s 150th anniversary celebrations. All of which makes this a special year for the city store off St AnnWay. "Our company started in Drury Lane, London, 150 years ago. We are now here in our current guise, which is Sainsbury's coupled with Argos," said Neil Barber, the manager of the Sainsbury's store, which also has a second floor café with a balcony overlooking the Gloucester to Sharpness canal. A degree of autonomy allows the business to tailor itself to its community, and Mr Barber and colleagues have embraced the opportunity and it gives the sizeable supermarket the familiar feel of being part of the now thriving quarter of Gloucester. In the run-up to the Tall Ships the business - which has a 250-strong staff team – enjoyed some record sales, and it embraced and
supported the Marketing Gloucester event with gusto. “The reason I came to Sainsbury’s is because of the way they treat people,” said Mr Barber, who has worked in the sector for the best part of 35 years. “This store was built 10 years ago. But it feels like three years old. “It was built in the reign of Justin King (boss of Sainsbury’s until 2014).We understood this store would be instrumental to the development of Gloucester Quays. “Then the crash happened – which explains why we are only just seeing the houses built now,” said Mr Barber, referring to the ongoing developments now surrounding the store. “But we are hoping they will become our customers. We welcome it.” Billed as environmentally friendly when it was launched the business continues to tweak the building, recently replacing the lighting for LED – saving it £17,000 a year l
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