First look at new Asda store which forms start of £12m Yorkshire investment
The Leeds-based supermarket chain Asda is investing around £12m in its Yorkshire stores as part of a strategy to improve services for shoppers in its traditional heartland.
Asda has unveiled its newly refurbished Harrogate store which is the first in the county to benefit from changes which aim to make it more competitive.
Allan Leighton, the chairman of Asda, is leading a major overhaul focused on cutting prices and improving availability on shelves.
Earlier this year, the company reduced the prices of more than 10,000 products in its renewed strategy to win over shoppers.
In the summer, Mr Leighton said he had seen a “clear improvement” in Asda’s performance as it aims to win back market share from major rivals Tesco and Sainsbury’s, as well as growing German discounters Lidl and Aldi.
Liz Evans, Asda’s Chief Commercial Officer Retail and Non-Food, told The Yorkshire Post: “Yorkshire is our heartland. When Allan rejoined the business, one of the first things he made clear was that he wanted to start the re-set of Asda close to home.
“We wanted to show our customers in Yorkshire the direction we are going in. It felt fitting to start that next chapter here in Yorkshire.”
The improvements to the Harrogate store include a simpler layout, new lighting features and modern signage.
It includes a new George Home and General Merchandise section, featuring the latest Winter Collection from Stacey Solomon.
In addition to its Harrogate store, Asda has also invested £7.2m to revamp stores in Kingswood, York, Pudsey, and Keighley. An extra £4.6m is being invested to upgrade two further stores in Grimsby and Stockton.
Asda, which employs 13,000 staff in Yorkshire, said the store upgrades are expected to be completed by December 1.
Ms Evans added: “We’re excited to welcome customers into our newly upgraded Harrogate store, the first to get an upgrade as part of our £12m investment across Yorkshire and nearby areas.”
“Asda started here 60 years ago, so putting money back into our home patch really means a lot to us. We want our stores to feel fresh, easy to shop, and full of value for local families.” Ms Evans said the refresh was shaped by listening to customers and staff.
She added: “Hard working families are at the centre of our plans. We know in particular that Christmas can be a stressful time when people are worried about budgets and affordability and we want to help our customers. Allan (Leighton) just loves the business. He wants to bring the 'Asda-ness' back to Asda. He has a deep-rooted understanding of the communities and customers we serve."
Asda also recently launched its second standalone George concept store in Hull, as the retailer continues its plans to replace its Asda Living brand portfolio across the UK.
The Hull store is the second to be transformed under the George banner, following a successful pilot at Crown Point, Leeds, in May.
Asda has begun the next phase of its Express convenience store rollout, opening a new site in Castleford.
The retailer now has 78 superstores and supermarkets in Yorkshire, plus 40 Express sites.
Over the summer, Asda revealed it would be revamping its cafes as part of a £10m investment programme. At the time, Asda said the money would go toward modernising 180 of its cafes and expanding the menus.