Sainsbury’s store to open in Omagh

A SAINSBURY’S supermarket is to open in Omagh, replacing the existing Homebase store at the Great Northern Retail Park.

Sainsbury’s announced today it is finalising a deal to acquire ten leasehold stores from Homebase, including ones in Omagh and Derry, with plans to convert them into new supermarkets.

The retailer says the transaction is expected to complete in early September.

This new investment, amounting to around £130m, is forecast to create 1,000 additional jobs for the company.

The company plan to open the first stores as early as next summer, with all stores planned to be converted by the end of 2025.

For Omagh, the new store will be replacing the long-standing Homebase in the Great Northern Road retail park.

A spokesperson for Homebase has confirmed that their store in Omagh will be closing in 2025.

She added, “All team members in the store will be offered the chance to interview for Sainsbury’s.”

Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s chief executive, said, “Sainsbury’s food business continues to go from strength to strength as we push ahead with our Next Level Sainsbury’s plan. We have the best combination of value and quality in the market and that’s winning us customers from all our key competitors and driving consistent growth in volume market share.

Mr Roberts added, “We want to build on this momentum which is why we are growing our supermarket footprint. Our ambition is to be customers’ first choice for food and these new stores will showcase some of the best that Sainsbury’s supermarkets have to offer to even more communities around the country.”