Sainsbury’s Comes to Portswood

The council have approved plans for a giant superstore to be built on the site of the old bus depot in Portswood.


How the store may look

The council have approved plans for a giant superstore to be built on the site of the old bus depot in Portswood. The purple fencing around the site, opposite the Mitre, will be familiar to many students.

Construction has begun and the store is projected to be open by Christmas. Also being built on the site is a doctor’s surgery and 140 houses, including 118 flats.

This is great news for students who are too classy for Farmfoods but too poor for Waitrose. The construction of the store will create around 400 jobs with many of these being part time and suitable for the large student population of the area.

However, local retailers are concerned. With the store due to open in time for the Christmas rush, it is anticipated that many shoppers will flock to the shiny new store and abandon familiar businesses. According to an insider source, Waitrose expect to lose up to 25% of their profit; some shops will be unable to compete and will be forced to close.