A new chapter for The Barbican in Newcastle
A £1.4 million investment has marked an exciting new chapter for The Barbican in Newcastle. The new-look concept store opened earlier this year and store manager, Liam Houston talked NR through the exciting developments that have taken place.
Serving Newcastle since 1980, The Barbican is a well-known and key part of the Newcastle retail offering. Having recently converted to the Centra brand, it now brings together SuperValu’s strong food heritage with Centra’s modern convenience offer.
Standing at just over 7500 sq ft, it offers a spacious and shopper-friendly layout, while the 45-strong store team are all committed to delivering excellent customer service.
The redesigned store delivers a more seamless shopping experience with an enhanced fresh food and deli offer, great coffee and food on the go, as well as a standout premium alcohol range. It also boasts more than 400 new lines including a dedicated ‘local’ section, while a key focus of the store is the Dinner Made Easy zone.
Externally, all signage was refreshed, while improvements were made to the car park to include picnic tables and bicycle parking, taking advantage of the store’s proximity to the caravan parks and town centre. Liam told NR that new EV chargers will be introduced soon, while additional windows were installed allowing more natural light into the store.
“Internally, the store has been totally transformed with clear zones to create an intuitive shopper flow and enjoyable customer experience,” said Liam.
“The ‘Dinner for Tonight’ zone is a key feature, bringing together convenient, high-quality meal options including Caramico pizzas, sides, dips and desserts, Donnybrook Fair lasagnes, curries and pies, and Clean Cut high-protein meals, complemented by fresh cuts of meat from Good Food Locally Sourced,” said Liam.
“We also have a selection of meals from local supplier The Galley and have introduced the Go Pig range into our Dinner for Tonight zone.
“This is enhanced further by our award-winning SuperValu Signature Tastes range and the introduction of Mercato Italiano – a unique selection of charcuterie meats, cheeses, pizza bases and ambient products.”
The food-to-go area features a new Frank and Honest coffee dock, clearly positioned as a destination for coffee and hot beverages.
“Next to this is a new hot and cold deli, including a baked potato station and pizza by the slice, as well as an in-store bakery serving freshly baked goods and handcrafted patisserie throughout the day.”
The top-up shopping zone guides shoppers through core everyday categories, with clear lighting and signage for easy navigation, while the off licence has been integrated into the overall flow of the store with signage making it easier to shop by category, occasion and price point.
“It offers a balance of value and premium, with multibuy promotions, a curated Discovery Range featuring wines from around the world, and an extensive selection of premium spirits and champagnes. We also have a dedicated zero zone,” Liam shared.
Musgrave has a long-standing commitment to supporting local, investing £240 million annually in local products, working with 250 suppliers and 3000 farmers, and stocking over 6,000 local products across their stores.
