The countdown is now on for the opening of Sheppey’s Morrisons store, and its manager thinks the supermarket will be the start of good things for the Island.

Steve Lennox was appointed in April, and has been working on getting things ready for the grand opening at the Neats Court site, which will be early in September.

The 48-year-old, who lives on the outskirts of Whitstable, has been with the company for 26 years, and worked his way up after starting as a butcher.

In the past, he has overseen the opening of the Faversham Morrisons store, and was manager at the Welling branch for 18 months before getting this job.

All positions at the Sheppey store have now been filled, after Mr Lennox spent the past four months recruiting and training.

However, he’s not yet been allowed into his new kingdom, which is still a building site,
so he’s been based at other Kent Morrisons.

Administration workers started around six weeks ago, and the shop floor staff and
cashiers will begin a few weeks before the launch.

Mr Lennox says there are plans for the store to have close links with the community, and in-store fundraising will support Island good causes.

Local charities will also be able to do collections inside.

He says Morrisons has a single price structure, so the cost of produce will be the same as for any other of the retailer’s stores.

The chain has its own abattoirs, fields and farms, as well as factories that make things like pizzas and ready meals.

This allows it to keep prices down and maintain quality, and it meant Morrisons was not
tarnished by the horse-meat scandal.

Mr Lennox said: “I didn’t really know the Island before, but I have spent an awfully long time talking to people through interviews as well as talking to locals.

“The feedback has been that Sheppey is crying out for the store to come along.

“There has been constant disappointment for people with things closing, no investment and
nothing coming here.

“I have not heard a negative comment, and I believe it will do so much for Sheppey and be the start of some really good things.”