Rustington’s new Sainsbury’s store taking shape

In the past few weeks, contractors working on the supermarket, at the Rustington Retail Park, at New Road, have been using large cranes to lift the steel girders and supports into place.

Motorists travelling along the A259 will have noticed the increased activity at the site, as well as being able to catch a brief glimpse of what the new premises will look like.

Daren Carpenter, Sainsbury’s project manager said, he was pleased with the work that had been completed but stressed that there was still a long way to go until the store was ready to open to prospective customers before Christmas.

He said: “Work is progressing very well. We have now demolished the old store, which represented the most intensive phase of the project.

“We are now erecting the store’s steel frame and will shortly be constructing the walls to form the building’s exterior.”

He added: “We are looking forward to opening our improved, modern Sainsbury’s store in winter, 2013.”

Currently, Sainsbury’s is operating from a temporary base at the former Focus DIY site in the retail park.

The redeveloped supermarket will be raised on stilts above the car parking area and the footprint of the old store, with double the retail floor space. It will extend the range of goods on offer to include clothing and other non-food items.

It’s hoped that the new Sainsbury’s will also eliminate congestion at the store during peak times.