Sainsbury’s has launched its newest store this week with the opening of Sainsbury’s Wapping Lane Local in Tower Hamlets, London. Now open from 7am to 11pm seven days a week, the 1,658 sq. ft store is creating new jobs for local people and supporting regeneration in the neighbourhood, whilst providing a much-needed boost to retail options.
Customers will now have the chance to sample Sainsbury’s latest convenience range, from fresh fruit and veg, healthy snacks and food-to-go to sweet, savoury and frozen staples. They will also be able to choose from a delicious selection of freshly baked bread and pastries every day, as well as pick up Argos, Habitat and Tu Clothing products ordered online via the in-store Click and Collect service.
Conveniently located on the corner of Wapping Lane and Green Bank, just two minutes’ walk from Wapping Rail Station, Sainsbury’s new store has opened on the ground floor of a former office building, the upper floors of which have recently been converted into a suite of luxury apartments by Malins Group. The two companies have worked closely together to ensure that, like the flats above it, the new Local has been sensitively designed to stay in keeping with the local area – this included updating some of the external elements originally proposed in response to community feedback.
The colleagues that make up the new store team will play an active role in the local community whilst also taking part in Sainsbury’s nationwide charitable programmes and initiatives. For example, through Sainsbury’s partnership with Neighbourly, the new Local will work with local food donation partners to help ensure that any surplus food from the store will go to those who need it most.
Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Property Director, said: “It’s been a pleasure to welcome Sainsbury’s Wapping Lane Local to our estate this week. We’ve recognised the opportunity a new convenience store would represent for the local community in Wapping for some time now and we’ve really pulled out all the stops to bring our plans to life, making the most of an unique space in a fantastic redevelopment project. We’re delighted with the result and we think our customers will be too.
Jamie Buckland, Sainsbury’s Wapping Lane Local Store Manager, said: “I felt privileged to join members of my team to cut the ribbon on our brand new store this week and we were thrilled to see a queue of customers patiently waiting outside before we opened. We know our neighbours have been looking forward to our arrival and we were really pleased to be able to welcome them for the first time today.”
Lauren Atkins, Managing Director of The Malins Group, said: “It’s always a privilege to repurpose underutilised spaces and transform them into vibrant new ones. The benefits of permitted development are clear at Green Bank Lofts, where the collaborative efforts of The Malins Group and Sainsbury’s have enabled a speedy transition from unused office building to 18 apartments and thriving retail space.”
