B&M Proud to open 1st Portsmouth Store
03 October 2015
B&M was proud to be in Portsmouth after opening its first store in the city today.
The new Home Store & Garden Centre has created 100 jobs for local workers, signalling B&M’s intent on working with the local community.
The store is situated on Fitzherbert Road in the Farlington area of the city; on the site of the former Homebase.
Representatives from The Rowans Hospice were invited along as B&M’s Local Hero to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony.
Nominated by store colleagues, a local hero can be an individual or organisation who has made a significant contribution to their local community.
The Hospice is a local charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.
They have been established since 1994 and over the course of those years have helped more than 7,000 patients and families across Portsmouth and South East Hampshire.
Services are provided free of charge, but each year it costs more than £5 million to continue the charity’s vital work.
In addition to the charities attendance, The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Frank Jonas, also kindly accept an invitation to be part of the ceremony.
Mel Walker, store manager at B&M Farlington said: “B&M is committed to recruiting from the local area and I am delighted that we’ve found a great team from in and around Portsmouth.
“We’re really proud to be creating 100 jobs across the city this year and to be playing our part in the local community.
Mel added: “We have been excited to get the doors open and are honoured to have representatives form The Rowans Hospice alongside the Lord Mayor cutting the ribbon to mark the opening of our new store.”
Shoppers at B&M’s newest store were treated to a day filled with face painting and Haribo giveaways, helping to turn the event into one which would live long in the memory.
The Portsmouth store is the first of two B&M openings on the South Coast of England this month, with a further store also planned to open in Bognor Regis on Friday 9th October - creating another 65 jobs.
