After several weeks of laying dormant, the former Viking pub in Grangeway was slowly being worked on, which was a welcome relief to some people.

In the week starting Monday 23rd July, 2018 a gang of workmen were seen erecting heavy wooden fence posts around the edge of the site. This transpired to be the support posts for the boarded security fence that had appeared on site with the company name of "Uplands" displayed on it.

Following this the tiled roof was being improved by roofers from "Davis roofing", they were working off of the scaffolding that was erected on site for several weeks.

Starting the refurbishment	Outside

The wooden boarded fence was taken down as we went forward into September, with this in mind we could observe that the car park was surfaced with Tarmac, and the parking bays were painted in.

This was all wrapped up by Wednesday 19th, and on Friday the 21st workmen were erecting a slatted wooden boundary fence, and the frontage of the building was being readied for the corporate signage.

As the job neared completion local company "Addington's" came to lay the turf on the site, this was in the week commencing 24th September, 2018.

Thinking back, who can remember their parents, or their own "check number"? This was in the days before stamps etc. were handed out. My mother’s Co-op number was 3390, so on every purchase you told the member of staff the number, and they would write it down along with a carbon paper copy, and every so often you would get some money back. (The famous "Divi").

Adam helping at the check-out

The opening of the Grangeway store was on Wednesday 3rd October, 2018 at 06.00, and the first day was very busy. Glad to report that the weather on the first day of trading, in early autumn was sunny and fine, with a high of 17C. Manager Mr Adam Paulowski has transferred from the Harrold Co-op branch, which is located in the high street of the north Bedfordshire village where I finished my senior schooling back in 1965.I was kindly granted permission to take some interior shots of the impressive new store by Adam the manager, and we can see him on the left of the shot, helping out on the check out, as trade was brisk during my visit at lunchtime.There will be a total of sixteen staff, with four of those being full time, and the remaining dozen are going be part timers. Opening hours are extensive and will be from 06.00-23.00 on every day over the week.

It was nice to see the former Viking pub sign post on the edge of the car park being used to display the Co-op sign, very fitting.

To find out loads more about what was the "Rushden Industrial Co-operative Society", go to our dedicated pages; there is so much information, and many intriguing shots of those halcyon times to do justice to the subject.

It might be interesting to see how the "Co-op" opening will affect the Mc Coll"s store, which is a few feet away; will it survive, and will the Co-op pay dividends?