A NEW supermarket opening in Banbury this month has brought a mini jobs bonanza to the town.

The new Morrison's store in Swan Close Road will provide jobs for 350 people.

It will be the furthest south of the group's 89 supermarkets, most of which are in the North East of England and across Lancashire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

In 1997 the group announced the creation of 3,200 jobs with the opening of:

Five new superstores

A new distribution centre and frozen food facility

£200m refurbishment programme of existing stores.

The company now employs more than 30,000 people nationwide.

It was founded by William Morrison, father of the present chairman and managing director, in 1899.

Originally it was an egg and butter merchant, that then moved into market stalls and from there to counter service shops. Morrison's opened its first supermarket in Bradford in the 1960s.

Morrison's says that it is the only food retailer that promises to sell goods at the same prices in all its supermarkets.

The 72,598 sq ft Banbury store will open on July 27. Store manager David Lyons said: "All the new staff are looking forward to taking up their posts in store."

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