A supermarket development which attracted opposition from business leaders in a Moray town has opened.
Elgin’s business improvement district objected to Iceland’s plans to open a branch of its Food Warehouse chain on Edgar Road amid concerns it would drive trade away from the centre.
However, the retailer, which has invested more than £750,000 in the new store, argued sales were already being lost to Aberdeen and Inverness and believed the project would support local trade.
Moray Council’s planning committee unanimously approved the store for the Elgin Retail Park, which has had several empty units since it was built more than a decade ago.
Planners had toured the town centre to look for suitable sites for the retailer before concluding none of the required size were available.
The opening has created 30 new jobs at a time when positions are at risk across the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Staff at the store filled up trolleys at the opening to donate to Dr Gray’s Hospital and the Abbeyvale Nursing Home in the town.
Food Warehouse operations director Kristian Barrett said: “We’re delighted to have opened our new store in Elgin.
“The Food Warehouse is an innovative store format, responding to the changing needs of shoppers by offering amazing bulk-buy deals and homeware offers alongside a fantastic range of frozen, fresh and chilled foods.”
