Three Weeks

B&M Discount Stores are due to open its 62nd branch, its Rhuthun store, on Station Road in about three weeks. This follows the official 12 noon closure on Saturday of the Somerfield supermarket, though last minute bargain hunting customers had already stripped the shelves bare, well ahead of the final deadline. Latterly and unsurprisingly, Somerfield has been busier than it’s ever been.

B&M has bought the shelving and tills. It’s re-employing the staff, though they are all now on a week’s holiday. It’s not surprising, then, as staff hovered on Saturday for one last time outside the building, that there was more looking forward than regret.

Somerfield opened from the converted KwikSave in January 2006. Together, KwikSave and Somerfield have served Rhuthun for a total of 26 years. Up to Saturday, it was the town centre’s oldest supermarket and, indeed, longest-running food store.

Before KwikSave, the premises were Jones Bros’ garage, complete with roadside petrol filling station, one of four in Rhuthun at that time. In its early years, KwikSave had a penchant for converting former motor dealers and garages and Rhuthun’s was one such.

Pictures show work starting on stripping down the store as conversion to B&M started yesterday.