THE OPENING of a new Sainsbury's convenience store in Bingley has been broadly welcomed by community leaders and shoppers - although some sceptics believe a full-blown supermarket would have been better for the town.

Permission was granted in May this year for the food retail giant to take over a former Co-op shop in Main Street and the long-established Pizza Hut restaurant next door.

And the distinctive purple and orange Sainsbury's Local signage is now emblazoned across the shining new frontage.

Inside it offers food, groceries, alcohol and household goods in keeping with product ranges offered by other modern convenience stores.

Bingley chamber of trade vice chairman Howard Martin said it was a welcome addition to the high street.

"As a new shop, it's great and the good thing is it shows Sainsbury's has got some real confidence in the town.

"Of course after they bought the old Bradford and Bingley building we did hope for much more and I can fully understand that people would have liked a full-blown supermarket," Mr Martin said.

"However the troubles of the national economic climate in recent years have worked against that and Sainsbury's were affected just like every other major supermarket.

"But not as badly as some, it turns out," said Mr Martin.

He said it was good to have increased the number of national names trading in the town.

"And of course Aldi will soon be getting to work on their new site now that all the paperwork such as the Section 106 agreement has now been agreed with Bradford Council.

"Also Sainsbury's now have a 50 per cent stake in Netto and so there is perhaps a chance one of those might be part of the B&B building redevelopment," Mr Martin said.

Local MP Philip Davies agreed that Sainsbury's at last opening a store in Bingley was a positive step.

“Whilst I share in the disappointment that many people in Bingley feel that Sainsbury’s abandoned their plans to build a big supermarket on the site of the old Bradford and Bingley, we have to look forward not backwards," said Mr Davies (Shipley, Con).

"The introduction of the Sainsbury’s convenience store is certainly better than nothing, and should help with bringing more footfall into Bingley which is what is needed to help the other shops in the town centre.

“However, I will continue to keep Sainsbury’s feet to the fire in ensuring that the B&B building is demolished and sold on as soon as possible," he said.

Vicar of Bingley All Saint's church, the Rev Beverley Mason has campaigned for Sainsbury's to rid Bingley of the eyesore building she believes casts a 'dark shadow of decay " over the town.

"This is good news that a bright and useful shop has opened right in the centre of town," she said.

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