Excitement builds ahead of The Range store opening in Newhaven

The Range superstore, located at The Drove, will welcome customers from 9am on Friday (June 4).

Spread over two floors, the new store – which measures 35,000 sq foot in size – will employ 80 members of staff in part-time and full-time roles.

The shop fit and merchandising teams are working around the clock to get the store ready for the big reveal.

Painting, sign hanging, stock unloading, and till training have been just a fraction of the happenings at the new site, a spokesman said.

The Range is a home, leisure and gardens retailer selling a wide selection of products across 16 departments including DIY, Kitchen & Dining, Furniture, Arts & Crafts and Textiles.

There will also be an Iceland and outdoor garden centre at the new branch.

A spokesman said: “In line with current Government guidelines, the new store will have extra safety procedures in place to protect both staff and customers when it opens.

“These include social distancing floor markers, sanitising stations at the store entrance and contactless payments where possible.”

Councillor James MacCleary, leader of Lewes District Council, said it was great to see such a well-known brand open up in Newhaven which was ‘a reflection of the fact that Newhaven is a growing town’.

“Lots of businesses want to relocate here at the moment,” he said.

“We were very pleased to hear that as well as it being a Range, it will also sell Iceland products, which people in the town have been keen on having.

“I’m really looking forward to it opening up and the jobs for local people it’s going to bring with it.”