Food Warehouse – part of the Iceland Group – could replace Carpetright on Caernarfon Road in Bangor, according to plans presented to Gwynedd Council.
Menai Retail Park comprises four retail units occupied by Currys/PC World (Unit A, Carpetright (Unit B), TK MAXX (Unit C), and Pets at Home (Unit D). Pre-application enquiries in respect of proposed development also considered proposed changes to Unit B (occupied by Carpet Right) to meet the requirements of Food Warehouse to occupy the unit as a supermarket.
Carpetright have served notice to vacate the unit and work is progressing on the applications for Unit B and Food Warehouse and those applications will be submitted shortly.
A separate application to extend the period for an additional retail unit at the site has also been submitted.
A report from charted town planner Alyn Nicholls on ‘Retail Need and Retail Market Report’ in Bangor from July 2021, said: “The Council are aware through the pre-application enquiry process that an applications are to be submitted to facilitate the use of Unit B at Menai Retail Park for food retailing. The occupier would be Food Warehouse, part of the Iceland Group. The unit has been occupied by Carpet Right, a comparison goods retailer.
“The existing unit is 929 square metres gross (10,000 square feet). If the applications for Unit B are approved, there would be a reduction in comparison retail floorspace of 929 square metres. The size of the unit the subject of this application is 464 square metres gross (5,000 square feet).
“An opportunity to attract a major retailer into the town, such as Iceland who would be opening a second store in Bangor should be welcomed with open arms. In these circumstances the reality is that existing accommodation in the City Centre is not an alternative to Menai Retail Park. If Iceland cannot take occupation of the unit at the Retail Park, Bangor would lose the investment and jobs.”
