Norfolk’s oldest pet and garden shop has taken on its “biggest project” since it launched 84 years ago, with a new store opening next year.
Work has started on Myhills Pet and Garden’s new site in Attleborough, which will be around 10 times the size of its current store located in Queen’s Square.
After lodging a planning application with Breckland Council to build a store behind the old post office on Attleborough’s high street, Myhills, which also has stores in Wymondham, Dereham, Diss, Swaffham and Watton, were granted permission in July this year.
Peter Hodges, managing director of Myhills, said: “It’s a big achievement for the company and it’s the biggest project we have ever taken on.
“But we have struggled in Attleborough over the last two years because of the road works and other problems.
“At our current location in the town, we can’t function properly because it’s such a small retailing outlet - the overheads have saturated the profit.
“It’s a very big investment for the company to make in Attleborough.
“And hopefully having a larger outlet which will sell a lot more products across a lot of ranges will attract more people into the town and help the smaller shops and businesses.”
The demolition of the old sorting office to make way for the new store, located next to Sainsbury’s, started on July 27.
All of the staff from the current store will be moved to the new site, along with four more permanent positions available.
Roy Hagan, Myhills director, said the build should be completed by spring next year.
He added: “Myhills have been in Attleborough since 1977 and we had been actively looking for larger premises in the town for the last few years.
“We took a calculated gamble buying the site behind the town’s old post office, which had already been planning permission granted for 10 flats.
“But we believed that as a high street site it would better serve the town developed as retail rather than residential.
“Work has started and we are hoping to open the new 6,500 square feet store next spring.”
Mr Hodges added: “I would just like to say thank you to Roy because he has done an amazing job on project managing this.”
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