Sainsbury's confirms opening date for long-awaited Ludlow store

The doors of the new Sainsbury's in Rocks Green, Ludlow, are set to open at 9am on Tuesday, November 30, with officials cutting a ribbon in a ceremony at 8.30am.

Measuring a whopping 17,000 sq-ft, the new store at the junction of the A49 and A4117 Rocks Green is slated as the most energy-efficient supermarket of its size that Sainsbury’s has ever opened, using 30 per cent less energy than a similar-sized store would have three years ago.

In total, the arrival of new supermarket - which also contains an Argos - is creating around 150 new jobs across a range of roles and levels.

Chiefs at Sainsbury’s say their team in Ludlow will play an active role in the community by supporting food donation, volunteering and charity initiatives in the local area, as well as the company's nationwide community programmes and charity partners.

The prospect of creating a supermarket at Rocks Green was first revealed back in 2014.

A plan was approved by Shropshire Council's then South Planning Committee in 2017, after initially being deferred. At the time it was not known which supermarket would be taking on the site.

The decision was referred to the Secretary of State for review but he decided not to intervene and the project was approved.

It was finally revealed in July last year that the site would be taken on by Sainsbury's, with the company’s head of stores for the central zone, Tom Balay saying: “We’re really looking forward to serving the Ludlow community. This new store is a win for residents and ensures Ludlow has the services it needs for the future.”

Sainsbury’s has committed to investing £1 billion over the next 20 years to become a net zero business by 2040 at the latest. As well as featuring advanced refrigeration technology the store will boast accessible electric vehicle charging points in the car park and a bee hotel.