Big revamp for Cromer Budgens store

Cromer mayor Hilary Thompson has officially reopened the town's Budgens supermarket after a £500,000 revamp. The store, which was taken over by business partners Jinx Hundal and Paul Burnell last year, has been fitted out with new shelving, floors and lighting, with a larger, market-style fresh fruit and vegetable area and new, more accessible checkouts.

Cromer mayor Hilary Thompson has officially reopened the town's Budgens supermarket after a £500,000 revamp.

The store, which was taken over by business partners Jinx Hundal and Paul Burnell last year, has been fitted out with new shelving, floors and lighting, with a larger, market-style fresh fruit and vegetable area and new, more accessible checkouts.

Mr Burnell said the refit had seen Budgens of Cromer transformed from a "1970s-style convenience store".

"I think anybody would agree that it looked as if it hadn't been touched for some time, and, as well as extending our range of special offers, fresh foods and non-foods, what we've tried to do is to brighten the place up and make it a nicer place to shop," he added.

Guests at last week's reopening included shop staff, representatives from Budgens' parent company Musgrave, and shopfitters Seckers of Norwich.

Musgrave project manager Duncan Jelfs, who has overseen the refit, said: Cromer is as good as, if not better than, any other refit we have at the moment, and I think it is the benchmark for the Budgens brand."

Mrs Thompson, who was presented by a bouquet by store manager Julie Lynch, hoped the new-look store would help bring more people into the town.

"It is fresh, bright, and spacious and I think it will liven Cromer up," she said.

Mr Hundal praised Ms Lynch and her team, who, he said, had kept the store running smoothly throughout the 12-week refit.

"We are absolutely over the moon with results and the next step is to revamp the car park, which we hope will be completed by early next year," he added.