A date has now been set for when a branch of a High Street chain store will reopen “almost double the original size” at the site of a vacant ex-supermarket - with dozens of new jobs created as a result.

The space on Bury Road, Breightmet has been empty since Morrisons closed in September 2023.

Since then, neighbouring Home Bargains has been working to move into the site - and has now announced it hopes to be ready to open this autumn with a new café, bakery and 50 new jobs.

Home Bargains remains open while work takes place in the old supermarket building.

A Home Bargains spokesperson said: “The Bury Road store is due to re-open in November 24.

“The store will be almost double the original size and will now include a café and an instore bakery.

Expansion plans have been put before Bolton Council (Image: WPL Consulting LLP)

“We will have an extensive range of chilled, fresh and frozen products, as well as our extensive range of non-food and food items ensuring that we always deliver Top Brands at Bottom Prices to our customers.

“We will be looking to recruit in excess of 50 colleagues, ideally all from the local community, with all available roles advertised on our website.”

The branch of Morrisons finally shut down on Sunday September 17 last year after the company announced the planned closure the previous July.

At the time they said that after a review of their operations they did not believe that “performance is sustainable” to keep the store open.

But Morrisons also said at the time that it was helping staff to find alternative roles amid concerns from shop workers union Usdaw.  

The supermarket first opened in 2011 on what had originally been a Safeways site creating 52 jobs in the Breightmet area.

The closure sparked widespread concerns about the state of Breightmet’s shopping options, with the nearest remaining Morrisons just off Black Horse Street in Bolton town centre.

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This is nearly an hour’s walk away or a 15 minute drive.

But almost as soon as Morrisons announced the closure, Home Bargains said that they hoped to be able to expand their neighbouring branch on Bury Road into the site.

Since then, a series of plans have been put before Bolton Council laying out how the expansion will take place and where new signage for the expanded branch will go.

Plans have also been put forward for the front elevation, roof and car parking arrangements.