New jobs have been created as a major sports retailer has opened its first store in a coastal town.
A historic town centre building in Lowestoft that has been empty for almost four-and-a-half years has been given a new lease of life as sports fashion retail giant JD opened its first store in the town today (Thursday).
There was a good turnout at the historic 66 to 76 London Road North store in Lowestoft town centre - which had previously been open from 1907 to 2020 and served generations as the substantial former Chadds/Palmers/Beales department store.
The new 4,010sq ft Lowestoft JD store has created 15 new jobs.
Welcoming JD - the leading retailer of sports, fashion and lifestyle brands - to Lowestoft, the town's deputy mayor Elise Youngman joined staff and JD representatives at the new store opening, with Lowestoft town councillor Connor Blowers and the town council's sports development officer Ewan Gallagher also in attendance.
Lowestoft deputy mayor Elise Youngman said: "On behalf of everyone in Lowestoft, it is my pleasure to welcome JD Sports to our town.
"With the opening of this shop by a major retailer, I hope that this will bring more people to our town centre, create more local jobs and encourage everyone to be more active and take up a variety of sports within Lowestoft.
"Congratulations to everyone who has made this possible and I wish you all the best with your new premises."
'A fantastic store'
At the opening, Jacob McNabb area sales and operations manager of JD Sports Fashion Plc said: "We have been looking for a store in Lowestoft for a while.
"It now joins our other regional shops in Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Kings Lynn and Cambridge.
"It's a fantastic store and the staff have worked really hard to deliver it.
"They have been training at our other outlets for a few weeks so they are up to speed for the opening today."
The opening is another positive boost for the town centre after recent figures showed Lowestoft's retail unit vacancy rate was the highest in the district - with more than a quarter of shops empty, significantly higher than elsewhere in the region.
Don't miss out....
An opening weekend of fun is also being promised by the retail giant, as they host in-store experiences to engage locals this weekend - with music as DJs provide the ultimate shopping soundtracks.
It will also see the new Lowestoft store featuring a JD Ballnado game this Saturday and Sunday - with customers able to compete by collecting as many balls as possible for the chance to win JD gift cards each day.
The Lowestoft store's opening times are Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
For available vacancies at JD visit the JD Careers page.
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