First look inside B&M store set to open this weekend

The retailer closed its old Ocotal Way branch last week and moved across the road to another building that's twice the size.

Staff have spent ten days filling the empty former home of Go Outdoors with well-stocked shelves and setting up the tills ready for opening day on Saturday.

The larger store allows for more products, like paint, to be stocked (Image: Newsquest)

The extra space has allowed for an 8,677sq ft garden centre to be added to the store, selling hundreds of plant varieties and gardening products.

The blue-and-orange signage has been set up, along with smaller posters advertising that it opens on March 11.

Some eager shoppers may not have noticed this, as when the Adver stopped by for a sneak peek, there were people peering in through the glass and walking back to their cars when the automatic doors remained firmly shut.

The new location is twice the size of the old Ocotal Way retail space (Image: Newsquest)

This gives you an idea of the huge size of the store (Image: Newsquest)

Store manager Gerald Cuthbertson showed off the extended range of products the new retail space offers.

He said: "We moved in here mainly due to the demand from shoppers.

"This gave us an opportunity to broaden our range, provide extra service to regulars and newbies alike, and make it easier for people on this side of town to get to than our other superstore on Paddington Drive.

"It's been a challenge to get everything ready. We had the existing team from the old store and an additional 40 new employees joining in to set the shop up.

"So it's been a good bit of training and helped the team get to know where everything is."

Near the front entrance of the shop (Image: Newsquest)

Gerald has been a B&M Bargains store manager for six of the 45 years he has spent working in retail.

During that time, he has seen all manner of changes in shopping habits, including a recent shift that happened just a few years ago.

The new garden centre at B&M Home Store (Image: Newsquest)

He added: "Covid changed people's habits because it forced shoppers to go online when they might not have done normally.

"With our huge range and availability, we will be fighting the challenge of online shopping.

"It's nicer in person, you get to see and handle the products before you buy them.

"You can stock up on food, prepare for home projects and sort out your garden all under one roof.

"Our prices do attract customers, especially at a time like this when living costs have gone up. There are still plenty of bargains."

The new garden centre at B&M Home Store Swindon (Image: Newsquest)