New B&M store officially opens in The Galleries, taking over former Washington Wilko premises

The latest B&M store moving into Wearside is now officially open.

The team from Sunderland Foodbank were asked to do the honours and cut the ribbon on the 18,337sqft store which has opened in the former Washington Wilko store in The Galleries shopping centre.

The unit has undergone a comprehensive internal and external refurbishment programme ahead of opening, and B&M bosses say the the new store has created more than 25 jobs for local people. 

The new team were asked to nominate a nearby charity which 'truly deserves some VIP treatment for the work they do for the local community', and chose  Sunderland Foodbank to take centre stage.

In addition to opening the store, the team will also receive £250 worth of B&M vouchers, which will go towards helping the charity to continue doing the great work they do. 

Ian McGregor, centre manager at The Galleries, Washington, welcomed B&M to the centre.

"This thriving shopping centre has made a stream of exciting new tenant announcements recently, and we're thrilled B&M has recognised what a great location this is for its newest store," he said.

"Having nationally known brands alongside our local, independent traders is what makes The Galleries a great place to shop."

A spokesperson for B&M said: “It was really exciting to welcome customers through the doors; the feedback so far has been fantastic.”

“A big thank you to the team at Sunderland Foodbank who helped us open the store, we hope that our donation can help them to continue to do the great work they do.”