200 jobs planned for new Morrisons supermarket

Mar 21 2009 by Emma McKinney, Birmingham Mail

“An appropriately sized Morrisons store in the Handsworth area will redress the balance, providing local competition and reducing the need to travel for food shopping purposes,” said James Brook, spokesman for the store.

“It will also bring in hundreds of jobs, both full and part-time, to the area, which, by working with the council and other agencies, would be specifically targeted towards unemployed people in the local community.”

However, he insisted the supermarket would not jeopardise small, independent shops in the area.

“Key to the design process has been ensuring the proposed new store enhances and complements the existing retail strength of the area like the South Asian food stores, which cater for the requirements of the local population and must be maintained,” Mr Brook added.