Bridal Firm Says I Do
Ashford has been chosen
as the location for what is thought to be the UK’s largest bridal
store as the Kent town’s ability to attract investment continues
despite the recession.
Brides UK Ashford, a 3,800 sq ft store in Wellesley Road, is due
to open on 1 July.
The move helps to keep Ashford’s ambitious growth plans firmly
on track and follows recent confirmation by Waitrose that it will
open its first supermarket in the town later this year, creating
150 jobs.
And Britain’s largest national hotel chain, Premier Inn, has
opened a 74-bed hotel on the town’s successful and expanding Eureka
Business Park, where developer Quadrant Estates has just gained
planning approval for four new office buildings.
Brides UK Ashford is the first in a series of megastores
nationwide proposed by Anthony Keates, 49, company director of
Brides of Portsmouth, as he re-styles and expands his firm.
Mr Keates was so impressed with what Ashford has to offer that
he made the town the first choice in his company’s move to become a
national brand.
He said: “Ashford is an area with a large and expanding
population of young people. Our market research showed we had
little or no choice. Ashford is ready for us, and we for it.”
Mr Keates, who has bought a house near Ashford to personally
oversee the opening, adds that the success of his company is based
on couples being offered the complete bridal package in one store
for about £2,200. “We differ from other, smaller, bridal companies
in that we have a large stock, and we have photographers,
cake-makers, florists and cars. Business is up 36% on last
year.”
The Ashford store will employ 18 full-time and part-time staff
initially, but Mr Keates sees that rising to 23 within the year.
Further Brides UK stores are earmarked for Manchester, Newcastle,
Birmingham and West Sussex.
Ashford has attracted other retailers, including Debenhams,
Next, H&M and New Look, since the opening last year of a £65
million extension to the County Square shopping centre. The
expansion has taken the centre up to 435,000 sq ft and brings the
number of units at the town site to more than 50. It includes a
620-space multi-storey car park.
Judith Armitt, Managing Director of Ashford’s Future, the
organisation tasked with delivering the growth agenda for the town,
said: “These retail developments are excellent news for Ashford.
They help meet the needs of an expanding and aspiring local
population by providing first class facilities and significant new
jobs.”
Investment is being ploughed into the region to provide new
retail, transport and healthcare facilities, helping to support
Ashford’s ambitious development programme. Ashford is the
fastest-growing town between London and Europe, with plans to
create 28,000 jobs and build 31,000 homes over the next two
decades.
Media Release 0111/09
This webpage was updated on
4/8/2009