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Home Bargains will open a huge new store in a struggling UK town later this summer. It has been confirmed the new shop will open its doors to shoppers on Saturday, August 1.

The shop will give a huge boost to the Gateshead area, replacing the old Homebase store, which shut at the Team Valley trading estate in 2019. The 29,000sq ft unit has laid dormant for the last seven years while the wider Gateshead area has also seen a drop in footfall with the council reporting a shop vacancy rate of 24%.

Many shoppers have been left having to go to Newcastle to buy items instead.

A notice has confirmed the new Home Bargains store will open in August and work is now well underway. It comes as a boost to shoppers who only currently have smaller Home Bargains stores on the high street.

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The application for the new store included a licence requested to sell alcohol throughout the week from 6am until midnight. It will join other retailers, such as as Smyths Toys, TK Maxx, Dunelm and M&S Simply Food at the trading estate.

There are currently over 630 Home Bargains stores across the UK. The retailer is continuing to expand with plans to increase its portfolio to between 800 and 1,000 locations in the coming years.

Home Bargains offers a wide range of cheap branded items, ranging from homeware and toiletries to toys and snacks. It is popular for its budget-friendly prices, with its slogan reading: "Top Brands, Bottom Prices."

A number of locals have responded to the news of the shop opening on social media. Many agree that the new Home Bargains will be a welcome addition to Gateshead.

Mark Robertson said on Facebook: "I honestly thought that retail world would turn out to be a white elephant. But I now believe its another great asset to Gateshead."

Charlotte Elder added: "Team Valley is getting a Home Bargains, our mooching has just levelled up!"

Janet Allan agreed: "Looking forward to it opening."

Debbie Glasgow put: "It's my new favourite one already, it'll be massive."

Bobby-Leigh Wright wrote: "My dreams have come true."

Mary White said: "Great. Love Home Bargains hope they have a garden centre."

Brenda Dickson added: "Love Home Bargains."