News: The Food Warehouse gets opening date for new Rotherham location

The Food Warehouse has an opening date for its new store at a popular Rotherham retail destination.

Rothbiz revealed last year that, following TUI's relocation, The Food Warehouse was eyeing up the former TUI unit next to Morrisons at Parkgate Shopping.

The Iceland brand is set to open on June 30.

The Food Warehouse is part of the Iceland Foods Group and is revolutionising the way that people shop in stores. It takes the same product lines as Iceland and extends them in a warehouse space, giving customers the ability to buy in bulk and take advantage of the savings.

The 12,500 sq ft store is a newly reconfigured store space to allow for The Food Warehouse's super simple store layout with wider and fewer aisles.

A spokesperson for The Food Warehouse said: "To celebrate our new store, we've got £1,500 worth of the Food Warehouse vouchers to giveaway to the first 150 customers, and more! The Food Warehouse brings you new and exclusive brands, great selection of bigger value packs, plus we're stocked up with all your favourite household essentials."

Another recent opening is mydentist which has relocated from Rotherham town centre.

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Looking ahead, a one of the last remaining vacant units is now listed as being under offer. The 11,000 sq ft unit was vacated by Sports Direct when the store relocated to a large Frasers Group unit at Parkgate,

At the current Poundstretcher unit, a planning application has recently been submitted by the site's owners that would split the unit in two seperate units. Agents for the applicants say that the works are proposed to enable the floorspace to be reoccupied.

Also at Parkgate the iconic steel tree sculpture that has welcomed visitors to the shopping park since 2018 has found a new home at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

The six metre metal structure, has been relocated to the heart of the hospice’s memory garden – which helps to provide a peaceful space for families to reflect and remember their loved ones.

The bespoke piece of artwork was created by celebrated local sculptor Steve Mehdi who was inspired by Parkgate’s former logo. Following the leading shopping park’s rebrand in October 2025 – complete with a new logo – it was important to everyone at Parkgate that the sculpture was repurposed and found a home where it could continue to be appreciated by the community.

The relocation was made possible with the support of Parkway Sheet Metals, H.Askey Transport, Bramley Construction and Landscape Ltd and Holemasters Demtech Ltd whose teams played a key role in ensuring the safe moving of the sculpture.

Mark Kanaris-Sotiriou Senior Operations Manager at Parkgate said: “We’re incredibly proud to be donating Parkgate’s tree sculpture to Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. The steel sculpture has welcomed visitors to the park for nearly a decade, and we’re glad that it will remain part of the community in Bluebell Wood’s memory garden. The team at the hospice undertake incredible work caring for babies, children and young people, as well as providing vital support for their families. We’re so proud to partner with them through this addition to the memory garden."

Heidi Hawkins, CEO of Bluebell Wood commented: "We are delighted to welcome this new sculpture to Bluebell Wood. The garden is a very special and important part of our hospice and with summer just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for families to enjoy this wonderful addition. We are incredibly grateful to Parkgate for their support and look forward to sharing this feature with the families in our care."

The Food Warehouse website
Parkgate Shopping website

Images: Food Warehouse / Parkgate Shopping

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News: The Food Warehouse confirmed for Parkgate

Owners of Parkgate Shopping have confirmed that The Food Warehouse will be opening at the popular Rotherham retail destination.

Long term tenants have also committed to new leases.

Rothbiz reported last month that following TUI's relocation, The Food Warehouse was eyeing up the former TUI unit next to Morrisons.

The Food Warehouse is part of the Iceland Foods Group and is revolutionising the way that people shop in stores. It takes the same product lines as Iceland and extends them in a warehouse space, giving customers the ability to buy in bulk and take advantage of the savings.

The 12,500 sq ft store is a newly reconfigured store space that will be worked on over the coming months ahead of the store’s opening in 2026.

The news is paired with a series of recommitments from favourites including Asda Living, Boots and River Island, highlighting the confidence big retail brands have in the park.

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Mark Kanaris-Sotiriou, Senior Operations Manager at Parkgate, said: “We are so excited to be able to share the news that The Food Warehouse has signed to open up at Parkgate in 2026. Parkgate has become a true one-stop shop for our customers, offering a wide range of restaurants, big-name national and international brands, fitness facilities, and the convenience of getting everything in one place. The Parkgate experience has only been improved by the recent opening of the link road and the free-to-use park and ride on our doorstep. We’re looking forward to seeing our shoppers exploring the new store when it opens and we hope to confirm timings and share other exciting updates soon.”

mydentist is also joining the line-up, taking the former Superdrug unit. mydentist, the UK’s leading provider of affordable dental care, will be opening a brand-new facility at Parkgate and has been recognised as a CoStar Awards Quarterly Deals winner for top leasing deal in Yorkshire & Humberside.

Kanaris-Sotiriou, added: “It’s an incredibly exciting time here at Parkgate, as we prepare to welcome our very first dentist to the shopping park, further cementing our reputation as the go-to destination for our customers’ needs. Whether it’s fashion, groceries, fitness, or now dental care, Parkgate truly offers something for everyone. We’re also thrilled to be welcoming Iceland’s The Food Warehouse which we’re confident will be a favourite amongst our shoppers, giving them the chance to stock up on all their favourite products for less.”

The Food Warehouse website
mydentist website
Parkgate Shopping website

Images: Iceland / Parkgate Shopping

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News: Major food retailer sets sights on Rotherham retail park

One of Britain’s fastest-growing and most innovative retailers is looking set to open one of its large format stores in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in March on the owners of Parkgate Shopping in Rotherham submitting plans for Units 17 and 18 with the talk of new tenants.

The approval of the plans has enabled TUI to take a smaller unit next to its Holiday Superstore and move its Rotherham operations.

One of the world's leading integrated tourism business has taken over the former One Below / One Beyond discount store. Launched by Poundworld founders, One Below opened its first Rotherham store in the former Maplin unit at Parkgate Shopping in April 2019. It still operates in Rotherham town centre.

The application at Parkgate was for the reconfigurement of the internal layout, including the mezzanine, a new trolley bay and new solar panels.

Following TUI's relocation, commercial property agents are now showing that The Food Warehouse is taking the former TUI unit next to Morrisons.

The Food Warehouse is part of the Iceland Foods Group and is revolutionising the way that people shop in stores. It takes the same product lines as Iceland and extends them in a warehouse space, giving customers the ability to buy in bulk and take advantage of the savings.

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With a new mezzanine level, Unit 18 at Parkgate would provide 13,600 sq ft of space which will allow for The Food Warehouse's super simple store layouts with wider and fewer aisles.

The retailers have a huge range of exclusive brand products across some of the best-known names in the UK, including Slimming World, Greggs, TGI's, Chiquito's and more. It also offers multi-buy deals, including 5 for £5, 3 for £10 and 8 for £10 deals whilst homeware and seasonal specials are also available in larger stores.

Having launched in 2014. a major milestone for The Food Warehouse was reached last month with the opening of the 200th store.

Iceland currently operates in Parkgate already, and at Eastwood. Its products are also available through partnerships with the likes of Wilko and The Range.

Agents, Morgan Williams and CSP Retail list The Food Warehouse as a new letting in the last 12 months at Parkgate Shopping alongside Footasylum, Starbucks, Pavers, Superdrug and My Dentist. Just two large units remain vacant.

An opening date for the new Food Warehouse in Rotherham is not yet known.

Rothbiz also reported in January on approved outline plans for another new unit at Parkgate, on land next to Matalan which was previously used as a Park & Ride for the tram-train. No tenant has been announced here but the proposal is for a 20,000 sq ft rectangular unit "that is the required format of food retailers in order to provide linear aisle for convenience goods shopping."

The Food Warehouse website
Parkgate Shopping website

Images: The Food Warehouse

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News: Iceland Foods fined £2.5m following fatal accident

Iceland Foods have been fined £2.5m having been found guilty of breaching health and safety laws when a fatal accident occurred at its store in Rotherham.

Iceland had previously been found guilty of breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 following a three-week trial held at Sheffield Crown Court in July 2017.

The charges were brought by Rotherham Council following a fatal accident at the Eastwood store on October 28 2013. A contractor had visited the store to replace filters within an air conditioning unit which was located on a plant platform above a suspended ceiling in the store's warehouse.

The contract worker fell almost three metres from the platform and through the suspended ceiling, sustaining fatal injuries.

An investigation by Adrian Monkhouse, principal environmental health officer at the Council, revealed that there were no barriers in place to prevent falls from the platform, the area of the platform immediately in front of the access ladder was restricted (just 45cm in width) and there were several tripping hazards in this area, including cabling and the fixing points for the ladder itself.

Iceland Foods Limited was instructed to take this area out of use until suitable protective measures had been installed on the plant platform. Once this work was carried out to the satisfaction of the investigating officer, the plant platform was put back into use in March 2014.

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Further investigations revealed that Iceland Foods Limited had not carried out a risk assessment to consider access to the plant platform either by contractors or their own employees. Iceland argued that they had intended for a guardrail to be installed around the plant platform and had in fact paid for one during refurbishment of the store.

In court Iceland contended that they were entitled to rely on the specialist contractors who carried out work on the plant platform to identify the missing handrail. These claims were rejected by the prosecution and the court.

At a sentencing hearing at Grimsby Crown Court this week, the company was fined £1.25m for each offence and ordered to pay the full costs of £65,019.64 to Rotherham Council.

Karen Hanson, assistant director for Community Safety and Street Scene at Rotherham Council, said that the case highlighted the importance of companies considering not only their own employees but the work of contractors as part of their health and safety arrangements.

She said: "All businesses should be aware of the importance of health and safety – particularly for high-risk activities such as working from heights."

Images: Google Maps

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News: Developers confirm deals at new Rotherham retail park

Gregory Property Group has confirmed that it has agreed terms with a discount homewares store, shown to be Home Bargains, to take 15,000 sq ft at its proposed retail park on Great Eastern Way, Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported last month that the third unit at a new retail development at Parkgate in Rotherham is under offer to Home Bargains. Aldi is taking the largest unit at 16,544 sq ft and Iceland is taking the adjacent 7,000 sq ft unit.

Land owners, Ron Hull, the Rotherham recycling experts, teamed up with Leeds-based developers, Gregory Projects to secure outline approval for a 16,000 sq ft discount food store together with 30,000 sq ft of additional retail and leisure facilities along with 200 car parking spaces.

Details of the first phase of retail development on the site of a former car showroom at Parkgate have recently been approved. Plans have also been submitted for details of the smaller fourth unit of 2,500 sq ft which can be split into two. A takeaway food operator is discussing terms for one and Heads of Terms are close to being agreed on the other.

Richard Tovey, director at Gregory Property Group, said: "Securing three major operators with a fourth deal at an advanced stage gives us confidence to commence development. We hope to start work in November with a nine month build period giving completion in summer 2015.

"The development fulfils a local need for easily accessible discount food shopping as the provision was lost to the area when Netto was taken over by ASDA. The site has been vacant for years so we shall be pleased to bring it back into use for the benefit of the Parkgate community."

GVA in Leeds is advising Gregory Projects on the lettings and the Sheffield office of Knight Frank is acting for Ron Hull Jnr.

Gregory Projects website

Images: Gregory Projects

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News: Iceland set to join Aldi at Parkgate

Iceland, one of Britain's fastest-growing retailers has agreed terms for a new store in Rotherham, at the recently approved 51,000 sq ft retail development at Parkgate.

Land owners, Ron Hull, the Rotherham recycling experts, teamed up with Leeds-based developers, Gregory Projects last year to bring forward a potential retail development on the site of a former car showroom at Great Eastern Way.

Planning permission was secured earlier this year for six units with Aldi taking the largest unit at 16,544 sq ft and Iceland taking the adjacent 7,000 sq ft unit.

A third unit, sized 7,500 sq ft, is already under offer with an unnamed national retailer. Work is expected to start on site in Autumn 2014 with completion in Spring 2015.

GVA is the agent for the scheme.

Iceland Foods, which started out in 1970 selling loose frozen food in Shropshire, opened its 800th UK store at the end of 2013 and have opened a total of 145 net new stores over the last four years, creating more than 4,000 new jobs. The operator, which has one Rotherham store already, at Eastwood, is on track to exceed a target of adding a further 40 new stores in the financial year.

Iceland's growth in store numbers is only topped by Aldi. The UK arm of the German retailer recently opened its 500th store, having not had any before 1990.

Along with the new store at Parkgate, Aldi recently submitted plans for a proposed new store on land currently occupied by lighting and conservatory retail units on Bawtry Road at Bramley.

A planning application has also recently been submitted for another Aldi store as part of a new mixed use regeneration scheme for the site of the council depot and Lantern Engineering Ltd at Muglet Lane in Maltby.

The new build, 10,700 sq ft, store is set to "deliver significant investment into the local economy and deliver approximately 40 new job opportunities within Maltby." It follows on from planning permission being secured for a new Aldi on council owned land at Swallownest.

Aldi website
Iceland website

Images: Gregory Projects

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