Dobbies announces second NI store as part of £10m investment in The Junction Retail and Leisure Park

This is part of a £10m investment in the shopping destination.

At 110,000 sq ft, it will be one of the biggest stores in the Dobbies’ estate and will create in the region of 150 new full and part-time roles, making it one of the biggest employers at The Junction.

Existing retail space will be redeveloped to incorporate a ‘not your average’ garden centre experience for customers, with plants and gardening products; pet department; home and cookshop; books, toys and gifts; as well as seasonal items. There will also be a foodhall and restaurant.

Welcoming the news, Lotus Property Managing Director, Alastair Coulson, said: “We are thrilled to be able to reveal Dobbies as our latest addition at The Junction. This is a real boost not just for The Junction, but for Antrim and Northern Ireland as well, bringing significant investment and jobs to the area.

“The last year has proven to be a very difficult trading environment for many retailers but this decision by a growing company likes Dobbies is a massive vote of confidence in The Junction as a retail destination.

“Dobbies proposal to open one of their largest stores anywhere in the UK complements brilliantly our existing portfolio at the retail park and our long-term vision to transform The Junction into one of the largest retail and leisure destinations in Northern Ireland. We look forward to working with the company in the coming months to deliver this exciting project.”

Graeme Jenkins, CEO at Dobbies, added: “Our Lisburn store is one of our most popular and we want to build on this success with a complementary store in Antrim. The Junction Retail and Leisure Park is a fantastic location and this development reinforces our ongoing ambition for growth.

“The Junction has a strong retail offer and we are very much looking forward to working with them, contributing to a must-visit leisure and shopping destination.”

A public consultation on the plans will commence in the coming weeks.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you