Supermarket chain to create 200 Scots jobs

Published on Sunday 1 November 2009 21:13

A NEW supermarket chain has revealed plans to open its first four stores in Scotland, creating almost 200 jobs.

Haldanes – a new chain of mid-sized supermarkets – said the acquisitions were made after the Co-operative Group was required to sell stores following its takeover of Somerfield.

But bosses at Haldanes said they planned to open dozens more branches across the UK in the next few years.

Its first four stores will be in Carluke in Lanarkshire; Broxburn, West Lothian; Prestonpans, East Lothian; and Tranent, also in East Lothian.

A total of 191 full and part-time workers will be employed across the four shops – the first of which is due to begin trading in mid-November, with the others opening next year.

Arthur Harris, the chairman of Haldanes, said: "We are protecting the jobs of all existing store staff and when the expansion programme is complete and the new management structure is in place, we expect to employ more than 700 people."

He added: "As a nation, we tend to focus on the negative aspects of the recession. But we forget that recessions can actually be a good time for new business start-ups to bring fresh ideas."