Canine Companion Helps Open Coventry's Third B&M Store

A canine companion helped open the new Coventry B&M on Saturday, the third store in the city.

The new B&M Bargains store is based at the Airport Retail Park, and will provide B&M’s great ranges of branded and own label products.

In addition to groceries, shoppers will also be able to browse a selection of non-food items such as home furnishings and electrical products.

Coventry’s newest B&M has created 60 jobs for local people, which follows the 90 jobs created when the Antsy Road store opened in January this year.

In attendance at the store opening were Lynn and Patrick Morris from Pets as Therapy (PAT), alongside Biddy the dog, who were chosen as B&M’s Local Hero for the day.

Given to an individual or organisation which has made an important contribution to their community, the Local Hero also receives £250 worth of B&M vouchers.  

Biddy visits three children’s wards, a children’s clinic and two long-term orthopaedic wards where she helps to provide a sense of companionship and love that may be missing in some patients' lives.

As well as visiting hospitals and clinics, Biddy is also taken to visit a primary school where she takes part in the Reading to a Dog scheme.

In a coincidental twist to Saturday’s store opening, Lynn and Patrick’s foster granddaughter is also a member of staff at the new store.

To help raise funds for their charitable work, representatives from the PAT scheme took part in a charity collection on the opening day.

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Michael Hammon, gratefully accepted an invitation to be a part of the opening ceremony, and helped Lynn and Patrick cut the ribbon on the new store.

Joanne Glazer, store manager at B&M Airport Coventry, said: “B&M is committed to recruiting from the local area and we are delighted we’ve found another great team from around Coventry.

“We’re really proud to have created another 60 jobs and to continue playing our part in the local community. “

She added: “We have been excited to get the doors open today and honoured to have the Lord Mayor, alongside Pets as Therapy, cutting the ribbon to official open our new store.”