Developments could encourage growth

"It is great that we have a national company investing in Stratford, hopefully more will follow now as well."

Mike Childs, of New Style Homes, says that with building work now well underway where the old Taranaki Farmers building was on the corner of Regan Street and Miranda Street, the two new stores will be open and ready for business by the middle of this year.

The development will see the HospiceShop on Broadway relocate to a brand new, purpose-built building, next door to a brand new liquor store.

Hospice Taranaki chief executive Kevin Nielsen says the move will mean the volunteers at the HospiceShop find themselves with over 400 square metres of space.

"That's about three times the current size of their shop, so they will be able to stock bigger items, more furniture and so on," he says.

Kevin and the volunteers from the Stratford store visited the building site last week to hear Mike, who is the main contractor for the development, explain the plans and listen to their input regarding layout. Mike says being able to work closely with clients, not just the owners but also the people who will be working in the store, means he is able to create the perfect premises to suit the users.

Also on site last week was Manpreet Walia. Manpreet is one of the directors of Just Liquor, a national liquor store chain, that will trade in Stratford under the name Big Barrel Stratford.

Manpreet says he is looking forward to the store opening in Stratford, adding that the decision to bring the business to the town was based on customer feedback.

"We have quite a few customers in our New Plymouth store who tell us they are coming from Stratford to our shop and they have kept asking us when we are going to come to their town."

Manpreet says he has already found the town to be friendly and welcoming and he thinks shoppers are going to appreciate the new store. "The design is very open, very spacious, and it will give customers a great experience, plus we will be stocking some top shelf products such as single malt whiskies, craft beer and wines which I think they will love."

Mike says having an investor put the money and faith into building a new development in Stratford shows that the town has lots of potential.

"If they can see this potential, then others should too.

" We have a national supermarket chain that has seen that potential and invested in a new supermarket for the town, now this as well, it all goes to show that Stratford is somewhere that people see business as growing."