Residents of the Laira area of Plymouth got an extra Christmas present this year – the re-opening of the old SPAR Gilletts store on Laira Road bigger and better than before.
A popular local shop burned down on Boxing Day 2023 when an accidental fire caused severe smoke damage to the building. Since then, the store has been nicknamed the ‘phoenix’ as members of the SPAR team and local shoppers waited to see what would rise from the ashes.
Thirteen people worked at the construction site on Vanhan Laira road. During the closure and refurbishment they were all deployed to either the Pike Road SPAR or the Reservoir North Hill SPAR. However, they are back after SPAR wholesaler Appleby Westward invested £250,000 in rebuilding the store, which reopened on Friday 6 December.
The company has expanded the store and made it 45% bigger than before by using the empty unit next to the store, which used to be a hair salon.
Some of the additional capacity has been doubled for promotions and seasonal products – to offer customers a wider range of value products.
However, the biggest change is the space reserved for the food lines, which will triple in size to ensure shoppers get everything they need at Old Laira Road.
There is also more space for fresh food and chilled beer, ciders and wine.
The selection of hot food has also improved – it has moved from the counter to a self-service point with a wider selection for both breakfast and lunch. The new range of full hot meals includes breakfast baps, sausage rolls, pies, burgers and hash browns. Customers can still buy from Costa Coffee.
The aim of the bigger, better store is to offer local customers a significantly wider range of products, making the store a true community hub. Customers can use SPAR Old Laira daily for breakfast, lunch and evening meal solutions, as well as all their previous services such as Lotto and Collect+ packages.
Store manager Gary Hawes said: “‘Phoenix’ has taken off and it’s a really big moment for us. It’s so exciting to have the store open again. Not only that, but the huge investment means it’s going to be bigger and better. I’m sure our customers are pleased with the improvements made, and our store team is excited to be back serving the community.”
Charles Duthie, Head of Operations at Appleby Westward, added: “The fire was a big blow to the local community, resulting in the store closing and staff having to transfer to other SPAR stores.
“It was important for us to recognize Vanhan Laira’s place in the local community and invest in it. Our team has been working really hard to get a bigger and better SPAR store in the neighborhood. We were lucky enough to get the unit next door to do just that.
“It’s great to have the original store team back in place and they’re eager to get back to what they know – offering Vanhan Laira shoppers the best possible local shopping experience.
“The old Laira is a great store, run by great staff, in a lovely residential community and its refurbishment means it is ready to serve this community for years to come.”
