Iceland's Food Warehouse plans to open superstore in Kendal

Iceland Ltd have submitted plans to South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) to introduce The Food Warehouse to South Lakeland Retail Park on Queen Katherine Avenue, Kendal, and to bring 20-25 new jobs to the town.

The proposed new store will replace the current Poundstretcher unit at the retail park when its lease expires this year, and will trade alongside the existing Iceland store in Kendal Town Centre

The Food Warehouse was introduced as a concept in 2014, and now have around 150 stores in the UK, and according to Ryan Parsonage of Iceland Ltd:

"Iceland Food Warehouse represents an exciting new trading format which differs from and complements our traditional high street retail offer.

"Food Warehouse stores are located on out-of-town retail parks and in most cases are twice the size of traditional Iceland high street stores and offer a wider range of goods, including a much larger range of frozen, chilled and grocery products along with a selection of premium lines.

"Iceland Food Warehouses also carry a range of bulk-buy and case-saver grocery and non-food lines.

"This product varies throughout the year but is principally made up of convenience goods with a limited range of comparison goods often available on a 'when they're gone, they're gone' basis.

"The whole product offer is very much designed for the destination-led car-borne shopper."

While SLDC are keen to see town-centre units occupied, the only unit with enough floor-space would be the now-closed Beales department store, part of which is already under application by Indie Craft Beer to move from their current premises on Finkle Street.

That, and the difficulty shoppers would face hauling large trolleys to the multi-story car park nearby rendered the site unsuitable, whilst the large adjacent car-park to the proposed edge-of-town site would be much more shopper-friendly.

POUNDSTRETCHER: The site of the proposed new store in Kendal

Mr Parsonage said: "The stores have a warehouse type look and and feel with wide shopping aisles, polished concrete floors, no ceilings and exposed services.

Minor alterations are proposed to the service area behind the building and a new, modernised shopfront, according to Mr Parsonage:

"The approach proposed is designed to maximise the amount of natural light into the store and create the optimum environment for customers to shop and view our products."

"We have successfully introduced this style of frontage at our other stores and have received positive feedback.

"The introduction of glazing allows customers to have a full view into the shop from outside so it maximises the potential for natural surveillance of the car park providing increased security.

"The proposed replacement shopfront incorporating large glazed windows to the front of the store in my opinion, provides an enhanced frontage and enhanced shopping environment."