The Range owner CDS Superstores took over a former Homebase site after the homeware store went into administration in November.
Mayor, Councillor Paul Hilliard who attended the opening of The Range this morning said: “It is great for the businesses round here, 17 staff carried on from Homebase, more staff were employed – this is great for the local economy.
“The Range is a well-known brand, obviously you can buy online but people like to feel the atmosphere, I think retail is still very alive.”
Linda, the now deputy manager of The Range, was carried over from her managerial role at Homebase.
She said: “the turnover has been frantic, but we did it so quickly, it’s quite something.
“We expect it’s going to be busy as the day goes forward, we have plenty of staff in, they are hoping we take a lot on our first day.”
The Range decided to buy 48 of Home Bases stores, and Christchurch was the first to be converted.
Linda said: “It’s going to be good; we kept our jobs; we are still in a shop, and we are still in the unit that we know.”
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