work started on £8m facelift for Asda Hamilton

Jul 9 2009 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

ASDA Hamilton is currently undergoing an £8m development programme with a mezzanine level being constructed on top of the existing floor area in the store.

The new feature will run along the length of the back wall and half the width of the store. When complete, it will add another 14,000 square feet of sales space - nearly an extra third of the current store.

The extra level is intended to house an expanded clothes department, as well as non-food products, electronic goods and photo sales.

The Asda car park has also been partially shut off for the development of an extra 123 car parking spaces with the completion of a mezzanine level outdoors.

The improvement programme is expected to be completed by mid-October.

The store - which is reported to have 550 staff - was opened in November 1998.

General Store Manager Colin Pearse is determined that customer disruption will be kept to a minimum during the substantial upgrade.

He said: “The store’s transformation is going to greatly improve our customers’ shopping experience.

“Whilst we’re making these changes there will inevitably be some disruption but we will be working hard to reduce the impact on shoppers.

“All we ask is that our customers bear with us while we change. I promise that the new-look store will be worth waiting for and I’m very much looking forward to unveiling the new look to customers old and new.”

Due to the development, the existing sales floor on the ground level has to be upgraded. This will include wider aisles, an increased range of health products and new lines in food items, as well as improved counters, new fridges and freezers, extra tills including self-scan, and a new kiosk and customer service desk.