Trago Starts Construction On Merthyr Tydfil Retail And Leisure Store

Famous South West independent retailer, Trago Mills, has started work on a brand new £40m retail and leisure facility in Merthyr Tydfil. This will be Trago’s first ever Welsh location and the first site outside Cornwall and Devon. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The official turf cutting ceremony took place at the site today, Friday 7th October 2016, attended by the Board of Directors of Trago Mills, Her Worship the Mayor Councillor Margaret Davies of the County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil and leading Councillors, together with local schoolchildren and senior representatives from Kier Construction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new store, which will be situated adjacent to the Cyfarthfa Retail Park, is due to open in Spring 2018 and will comprise a 30,250 square metre building, with warehousing, support services and administrative offices, together with internal roads and car parking. The new store will incorporate many of the retailer’s signature styles, including 17 ‘Trago Towers’. An important development for the town and local economy, the new store will not only provide job opportunities during construction but, once completed, will create around 400 jobs in the retail, leisure and warehousing sectors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Trago have appointed Kier, the leading property, residential, construction and services group, to develop and deliver the project. The new store will also include a café, garden centre, bandstand and adventure dome. There are plans to develop the site further, by adding a petrol station and leisure facilities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Trago, which has remained at the vanguard of discount retailing for over 50 years, was founded in the mid 1960s in Cornwall by Mike Robertson, father of the current owner and Chairman, Bruce Robertson. It currently has three stores; at Liskeard (the first store to be built) and Falmouth in Cornwall, together with its flagship store near Newton Abbot in Devon. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bruce Robertson said: “Whilst rather later than anticipated, having first acquired the former Butterley Brickworks site in the mid-90s, we’re delighted to be starting work on the Merthyr store – and particularly in having appointed Cardiff-based Kier Construction to undertake the build. Their local knowledge and experience will be invaluable in ensuring timely delivery to the high standard required by us and our customers. Once completed, our new store will be a bold and complementary addition to the thriving retail environment already existing at Cyfarthfa. We welcome many Welsh customers to our existing stores during the main tourism season in the South West and so we’re very excited to be bringing our unique shopping experience to Wales.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anthony Irving, Managing Director, Kier Construction, Western & Wales said: “This is a key negotiation for the Kier team; we are delighted to be working with Trago Mills. Our strong relationship, developed through the pre-construction period, will inevitably see the project delivered successfully. The project will bring significant benefits to the local supply chain, with employment and training opportunities for the local community throughout the construction phase of this locally significant scheme.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Her Worship the Mayor Councillor Margaret Davies of the County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil, took part in today’s turf cutting ceremony, together with several senior members of Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council, including Councillor Brendan Toomey, Leader; Councillor Chris Barry, Cabinet Member with Portfolio for Regeneration, Planning and Countryside and Gareth Chapman, Chief Executive of the County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Barry said: “The start of these works will be welcomed by all the citizens of Merthyr Tydfil. It is yet another success in the continued regeneration of the County Borough enhancing the many other improvements that have been made in recent years.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Also helping to cut the turf were local children from the Student Council of Coed Y Dderwen Primary School. Head Teacher, Julie Jones, said: “We were delighted to have representatives from our newly elected school council to help cut the first turf to start construction of the Trago Mills store, we are all really excited that Trago is coming to Merthyr and can’t wait for the doors to open in 2018” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​