New £2.5m Co-op store will create up to ten new jobs in Selkirk, committee told

Up to ten new jobs will be created when a new £2.5m Co-op store opens its doors in Selkirk this coming autumn, it has emerged.

The Co-op is set to move from its current site at 70 High Street in the town into a new larger outlet on what was previously a Sainsbury’s store at 115-117 High Street.

Today, Friday, January 26, members of Scottish Borders Council Licensing Board granted a premises licence for the new store to operate from 10am to 10pm.

Members were informed that investment in the new premises through its fit out and build was in the region of £2m to £2.5m.

All staff at the existing premises will move “a stone’s throw away” across to the new premises with an additional five to ten jobs also being created.

The new store was expected to open in July this year but due to building work issues that date has now been pushed back to September.

Members were told that one per cent of profits generated by the store will contribute to local initiatives.

Kelso & District’s Conservative councillor Tom Weatherston said: “I am reassured to hear that the other Co-op is going to close. I was a wee bit concerned that we were going to have two Co-ops in the same high street as there are issues around having the same shop in the same town, but I’m happy to support this as it’s basically a like for like.”

Councillor Eric Small, who represents Tweeddale West for the Conservatives, said: “It’s good to see the Co-op opening a shop up within Selkirk and I wish them well.”

Galashiels & District’s SNP councillor Fay Sinclair added: “I think this is just a common sense move. The other Co-op has operated within the licensing rules and this is just moving the shop, basically, across the road.”

Sainsbury’s Selkirk store closed in 2019 after a decade of trading in the town. The outlet had previously been a Somerfield retail outlet.