Foodstuffs North Island will bring forward the opening date of its New World Pt Chevalier store, following the devastating fire at New World Victoria Park earlier this month.
Initial assessments have confirmed that the damage to New World Victoria Park is extensive, and the store is expected to be out of operation for approximately two years while significant rebuild work takes place.
The Pt Chevalier store, originally scheduled to open on 9 September, will now open earlier, with the team working towards an opening date of 19 August. Foodstuffs North Island has redoubled efforts to complete construction and fit-out so the store can begin serving the community as soon as possible.
Chris Quin, CEO of Foodstuffs North Island, said: “Since the fire, we’ve heard from so many locals who told us how much they’ll miss Victoria Park. Some even described it as their ‘extended pantry’. We know how important it is to have access to a full-service grocery store in the area, and bringing forward the opening of New World Pt Chevalier is one way we can help meet that need.”
The new store will be the closest New World option for many Victoria Park shoppers, especially those in Freeman’s Bay and surrounding suburbs.
With fire investigation work now complete, Foodstuffs will next week begin removing damaged parts of the building to make it safe for teams to begin clearing stock and equipment from the store.
Supporting team members
Foodstuffs North Island has been working with the owner-operators of Victoria Park and its wider co-operative network to support affected team members in finding new roles, including positions in nearby stores, its Support Centre, and Distribution Centres. While each store is independently owned and operated, the co-op is moving quickly to provide as many opportunities as possible.
It is expected that there will be opportunities for a number of the Victoria Park team members at New World Pt Chevalier and surrounding stores.
The process of disestablishing roles at Victoria Park is underway, in line with employment law and in consultation with team members and their representatives.
“We’re actively prioritising affected team members in recruitment across our network,” Quin said. “It’s been a challenging time for the Victoria Park team. Our goal is to support them into a new opportunity and ensure they feel looked after through this transition.”
