CONTRACTORS have begun erecting steelwork for the new Marks & Spencer Food store at the Beehive Business Park in Ulverston.

The development is currently on schedule to complete the first phase of the project early in 2020, with the creation of the M&S Food and Aldi stores, a Screwfix warehouse with trade counter and the Lake District Farmer’s facility processing high quality Cumbrian meat for top chefs and restaurants across the UK.

Foundations are already in place to begin erection of steelwork on the Aldi store and the Screwfix premises, and a spokesman for the developer Rawdon Property Group said they were delighted with progress on site.

He said: “Our main contractor Caddick Construction is doing a fantastic job pressing ahead with the work and they are currently on target for completion of the first phase early in 2020.

“They appreciate the huge interest in the development and the anticipation from local people who can’t wait for this new asset for Ulverston to be up and running, bringing job opportunities, and new supermarket choice for local people.

“The Beehive will encourage local people to stay in Ulverston to shop, and draw people in from the surrounding areas to discover everything the town has to offer.”

Town Mayor Councillor Sharon Webster said: “I have driven passed and it is great to see that work for the new M&S Store is coming on leaps and bounds.

“Hopefully it will be finished as soon as possible.

“I fully welcome the new store as I think we need this.

“I think it will help bring people from other areas to Ulverston and will hopefully increase the amount of people visiting the town.

“I have been talking to people and they have asked me when it was going to happen as they weren’t sure if it was going ahead.

“It is great that work is going ahead now.”

The arrival of the new store will replace the M&S store currently on Dalton Road in Barrow.

It will close once the Foodhall outlet opens in Ulverston in Spring 2020.