Heron - No 13 North Street

A new business, Heron Foods, took over No 13 North Street in 2009 following the closure of Woolworths the previous December. The company spent several weeks refitting the premises before opening on Tuesday 12th May with the creation of twelve new jobs.

The store, which was vacated soon after Christmas 2008, sells frozen and chilled food and groceries at discounted prices. Heron Foods, which is based in Hull, has around 115 similar branches around the country including Spalding, Grimsby and Louth in Lincolnshire, and the company chose Bourne after some research into future market prospects.

Bourne was pleased to have the empty shop back in business before the town centre became blighted and this appeared to be the consensus among shoppers and civic leaders. Councillor Shirley Cliffe, who was one of the early visitors, found herself among large crowds of people out for a bargain, and she echoed the general opinion. "This is good for Bourne”, she told the Stamford Mercury (May 15th). “The prices are low and people can now do their shopping in the centre of town.” The mayor, Councillor Trevor Holmes, was equally enthusiastic. “It can only be a good thing for the town centre and it is pleasing to have a major retail unit up and running again.”

It will also regarded as beneficial to have some competition for Sainsburys which has had little since Budgens closed in April 2008 resulting in rising prices and a crowded store at busy periods. Heron is not expected to be a major problem for them but one generating a sufficient volume of business to make close monitoring of their own activities essential although three other stores selling a similar range of food items, McColls in West Street, Two-Jays in the Burghley Arcade and Rainbow in Manning Road, may also feel the draught.

Woolworths had a problem of access for the delivery of goods which came through the front door on North Street and although Heron has opened up a rear entrance from Burghley Street, some consignments are still arriving in this way, even at busy times such as Saturday mornings. There will also be an inconvenience for customers who will have to carry everything they buy back to their cars at some distant parking place and that may restrict purchases whereas the trolley load is the limit at Sainsburys which is surrounded by a free car park. The management realised the difficulties and although only a few trolleys were available, each had been fitted with a metal rod rather like a flagpole, presumably to prevent it from being wheeled out through the front door. The message to customers was therefore to buy as much as they liked but once outside with the shopping, they were on their own.

A delivery lorry unloading shortly before midday on a Tuesday in June 2009 (above) and again on a Sunday morning in November 2011 (below) and on a Wednesday morning in April 2013 (bottom).

REVISED APRIL 2013

See also Woolworths