New fashion store for Nailsea shopping precinct

A new fashion store was opened in Nailsea shopping precinct this week by town council chairman Rod Lees.

Mr Lees warmly welcomed Store21 to Somerset Square and the creation of 13 new jobs for the town.

Regional manager Alison Hunt was on hand to oversee the proceedings which included glasses of bubbly and chocolates for the first shoppers through the door.

Newly-appointed store manager Darren Laity missed the big day as he was away on a training course but the role of handing out the blue balloons and discount vouchers was amply filled by assistant manager Sammy Pring.

Mr Lees said: “What with all the doom and gloom of the budget this week I’m sure that we were all thrilled to hear of the opening of a new store in Nailsea and you will probably be aware that there will be another store opening soon not 100 metres away from here.”

He said the council and chamber of trade supported moves to make the town centre more vibrant for the 17,000 plus people living in Nailsea and in nearby communities.

Ms Hunt said the company was ‘actively looking for new sites nationwide and aggressively going into the high street as well as having an online presence’.

Store21 originally evolved from a manufacturing business established in London in 1932 to supply clothing to the West End and Marks and Spencer stores.

The clothing and homeware retailer is now owned by Indian textile giant Grabal Alok.

It cost nearly a quarter of a million pounds to refit and extend the air-conditioned Nailsea store and Mr Lees said it was a welcome precursor to the supermarket Waitrose opening in August.

Store21 now boasts 251 shops nationwide and is aiming to increase this to more than 300 by the end of the year.

The shop was previously owned by Ethel Austin who went into receivership early this year.

Bigger plans for the partial redevelopment of the precinct are expected to be revealed within 12 months.