Brand new convenience store opens in Swindon's town centre

The building on Faringdon Road, near to the historic Railway Village, has been transformed from The Gold Buying Centre into a convenience shop for locals to be able to pop in and get their last-minute bits and bobs. 

The store opened earlier this month and has a coffee machine, Tango ice blast machine, paypoint and all of the general household needs people might have covered. 

Its owner Callum Forbes, 29, from Stratton, says it has already been extremely well received. 

"Opening a store like this is something I've always wanted to do," said Callum.

The site of the new convenience store in Swindon's town centre was formerly the Gold Buying Centre (Image: Google)

This is Callum's first foray into retail, but he clearly has an eye for business as he has two other successful businesses - a cleaning business, and a cleaning chemicals supplier.

"This is a brand new approach for me so it's a little bit outside my comfort zone, but I asked the public what they wanted in the area and everyone said it needed a shop.

"I want it to become a big part of the community, I'd love there to be locals we see all the time and can have a catch-up with," he said. 

This is why Callum has named the store The Railway Village Convenience Shop, as he explains. 

"I didn't just come here to open a shop, I came here for the community and that’s where the name has come from, it's the Railway Village’s shop, we just manage it and run it, we’re here for them."

Callum says he has invested around £40-50,000 into the shop, and currently, it has provided 5 new employment opportunities in the area.

Inside the new Railway Village Convenience Store (Image: Callum Forbes)

The entrepreneur has grand plans, and hopes to pen more convenience stores in Swindon, but he admitted that opening his first one was a daunting prospect. 

"There were nerves prior to opening, of course, but then you think well, you know what, we’ll make it the best, we'll continue to add the products, and get what people need.

"Everyone that we’ve spoken to that has visited since we opened has made us feel very welcome, the community has welcomed us, and our business neighbours have welcomed us as well. 

"There was nothing like this in the area so we're confident it'll be a success and with a lot of businesses shutting down, it’s nice to open a store."