Scotland's first Boyes store opens inside newly refurbished Inverness Co-op
27 June 2024
Value retailer Boyes launches its first Scottish store (Thursday, 27 June) inside the Telford Street, Inverness, Co-op, which concludes a nine-week programme of works and improvements to transform the store.
The Boyes store has created 10 new retail jobs – with opportunities still available. With a reputation for providing an extensive choice of quality, branded, products for the home and family at bargain prices, Boyes will sell a wide variety of products including clothing; homewares; electrical appliances; stationery, DIY products; soft furnishings; wool and haberdashery, craft and hobby; pet products and seasonal ranges.
Co-op’s 10,500 sq ft Telford Street store – which supports approaching 40 local jobs - has undergone a major makeover to create a fresh new-look, range and layout. It serves up an over-counter range from Inverness-based bakery Harry Gow which offers hot pies and cakes, alongside an extensive focus on fresh and chilled produce; meal ideas and everyday essentials; food-to-go; Fairtrade products, flowers, chilled beers and award-winning wines; ready meals, pizzas and, free-from, vegan and plant-based products.
Telford Street’s Co-op also includes a Costa Coffee Express, customer car parking and a free ATM to provide access to cash in the community. There is also a new self-service laundromat located outside the store for washing and drying all types of laundry.
The online home delivery of groceries is available through Co-op’s own online shop – shop.coop.co.uk – along with Deliveroo; Just Eat and Uber Eats. Orders are picked fresh in the local store and delivered quickly and conveniently in the community.
Co-op is also committed to supporting UK farmers, growers and suppliers, with all of its fresh and frozen meat and poultry, including in its ready meals, pies and freshly prepared sandwiches, 100% British.
A soft plastic recycle unit is available in store to enable the community to recycle ‘soft plastics’ including: crisp packets and bread bags, lids from ready meals and yogurt pots, biscuit wrappers and, pet food pouches - ensuring all Co-op’s own food packaging is recyclable either through local authority kerbside collections, or the in-store recycling unit.
Roddy Macleod, Co-op’s Telford Street Store Manager, said: “We have had a great response. The whole team is delighted to relaunch the Telford Street store with a fresh new look following its extensive investment programme and major makeover. We are also pleased to welcome Boyes into our store, we are confident that this will be a popular addition for local shoppers. Our aim is to operate at the heart of local life and we have worked to develop the range, choice and added services to create a compelling offer to serve our community conveniently.
"Co-op also has a focus on delivering value, with member price savings across a wide range of everyday essentials so that the people who own our business, our member-owners, benefit every time they shop.”
Boyes history dates back to 1881 when William Boyes opened a small store in Eastborough, Scarborough, selling odd lots and remnants from merchants. Today it operates more than 70 outlets throughout Yorkshire, the North East of England, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. Its new store in Inverness marks its first in Scotland.
Chairman of Boyes, Andrew Boyes , said: “As a family business that has been trading in England since 1881 we are pleased and proud to be introducing our brand into Scotland with our new store in Inverness - Our Partner Agreement with Co-op and the major refurbishment of their Inverness store has provided an ideal opportunity for Boyes to start trading in Scotland and show the local people what Boyes means by value and variety!”
Mark Matthews, Director of Format & Innovation, Co-op, added: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Boyes, and to be part of Boyes expansion as they launch their first Scottish store. As we invest in transforming our Telford Street store we are committed to creating added services which provide a compelling customer offer in the community. The addition of a Boyes outlet will offer further value and choice for our member-owners and customers in Inverness.”
Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer-owned co-operatives. Its history dates back 180 years with its member-owners owning the business and playing an intrinsic part in the governance of the organisation. Co-op members enjoy a wide number of benefits including member-only price savings across everyday essentials, and personalised offers via the Co-op membership App.
Telford Street’s Co-op opens between 7am-10pm daily.
More information about the benefits of Co-op membership is available by visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership
The Boyes store opens between 9am-5.30pm Monday – Saturday, and 10am – 5pm on a Sunday.
For more information about Boyes, visit www.boyes.co.uk
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Editor Notes:
About Co-op:
Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives with interests across food, funerals, insurance and legal services. Owned by millions of UK consumers, the Co-op operates almost 2,400 food stores, over 800 funeral homes and provides products to over 6,000 other stores, including those run by independent co-operative societies and through its wholesale business, Nisa Retail Limited. Employing 56,000 people, the Co-op has an annual turnover of over £11billion and is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes. The Co-op exists to meet members’ needs and stand up for the things they believe in.
About Boyes:
In 1881 William Boyes opened a small store in Eastborough, Scarborough selling odd lots and remnants from merchants. There was great poverty in the working classes and housewives were even keener for a bargain than they are today. When customers found that they could buy enough material to make a coat or a dress cheaper than anywhere else, they soon spread the word and trade increased to such an extent that William had to look for larger premises. William rented a large warehouse just off the main street where business continued to grow. By 1886 he purchased further units in Market Street and Queen Street and knocked them into one large store and named it 'The Remnant Warehouse'. Older customers in Scarborough still refer to the shop as 'The Rem'. As time went on William expanded his range and bought other clearance lines from merchants developing the warehouse into a department store. Business continued to grow and go from strength to strength and in 1910 the expansion of the company started. Today W Boyes and Co Ltd operate over 70 stores throughout Yorkshire, the North East, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire & Leicestershire
Further information:
Andrew Torr
Senior Press Officer, Co-op Press Office
M: 07702505551
E: andrew.torr@coop.co.uk / pressoffice@coop.co.uk