Iceland given approval to expand store for new 12,000sqft Food Warehouse in Bangor

Gareth Wyn Williams, local democracy reporter

Planners have backed a bid to replace a carpet store with a Welsh food retailer’s newest brand, creating 20 jobs as part of a £1m investment.

The Carpetright unit on Bangor’s Menai Retail Park is set to be expanded and replaced by Iceland’s new Food Warehouse.

The Deeside-based company has already opened Food Warehouse outlets in Wrexham, Mold and Flint as part of a 144 strong UK portfolio.

According to the company, Food Warehouse differs from Iceland’s traditional town centre stores as they are usually located on retail parks and often twice their size, offering a wider range of goods including a much larger range of frozen, chilled and grocery products along with a selection of premium lines.

But Bangor is next on the list, with the Caernarfon Road site having been earmarked as the 14th Welsh store.

Gwynedd Council planning officers have now approved the application to extend the front of the store.

‘Jobs’

The supporting documents said: “The proposals are to increase the internal floor area of the building to accommodate a larger variety of retail uses, in this instance food retail, which requires a footprint of 12,000sqft to function.

“As such our solution is to extend the building at the front only which will prevent impact on the delivery yard area and will provide an opportunity to improve the main building facade.”

They added: “Iceland and Food Warehouse is a Welsh company. It is based in Deeside, Flintshire and there are presently 13 Food Warehouse stores in Wales.

“In north Wales the nearest Food Warehouses to Bangor are located at Wrexham Mold and Flint. Food Warehouse stores in Wales have bi-lingual signage.

“The investment by Food Warehouse in opening at Store at Menai Retail Park would be in excess of £1 million. This does not include the costs of construction.

“Food Warehouse would create 20 to 25 new jobs across a range of roles. Food Warehouse expect the majority of posts, if not all, to be filled by local people.

“Jobs would also be created during the construction of the works proposed.”

Confirming that Carpet Right have given notice to vacate the unit, having employed five members of staff, the proposals would create between 15 and 20 new jobs.