ELY’S new Sainsbury’s superstore will be opening its doors for the first time on February 15, the store’s manager confirmed this week.

Alex Bettison said the building, on Lisle Lane, had been handed over to his staff by contractors last week and that work had begun to fill the store with thousands of new items in time for the grand opening.

Mr Bettison comes to the Ely store following a stint as manager of Sainsbury’s in Bretton, Peterborough and he has been hard at work ensuring all of his 315 new staff are trained up and ready to go.

“All of the staff are really excited, it is brilliant to open the new store but, in a city as nice as this, it will be even better,” said Mr Bettison.

“We have about 315 new staff at the moment, it has been great meeting them all and I have enjoyed the challenge of getting them all trained and ready. We have invested a lot of time and money.”

As well as thousands of products including food and clothing, the new store will also boast more than 450 parking spaces and be home to a pharmacy, an opticians, delicatessen, bakery, salad bar, butcher and fishmonger.

One of the store’s new staff members is 19-year-old Josh Nunn from Fordham, who leapt at the chance of a job after leaving college last year.

“Most people think the training is the worst bit but I think it has been brilliant and I am hoping that I will be able to work my way up in the coming years.”

The Ely Standard ran a competition in last week’s edition for a chance to cut the ribbon at the opening of the new store. Claire Smith of Ely was drawn the winner by Mr Bettison and will be on-hand at 9am on February 15 to open the store for the first time.