Work has begun on a new Farmfoods store in Carlisle that will create seven new jobs.

A huge steel structure has gone up on land in Shaddongate, formerly occupied by Thomas Graham.

Farmfoods, an independent frozen food retailer, is moving from its current site on Lowther Street to the new premises.

A report to Carlisle City Council says: “The current store is not suitable for Farmfoods any longer because it is too small for their current style of retailing, it lacks customer car parking and has poor delivery facilities.”

The firm, which currently employs eight staff, says it has been hunting for new premises for the last five years.

The new site, next to Gate Garage and The Sandwich Mill, will offer car parking for 44 cars.

The report says: “It is expected the new store will employ around 15 staff.

“This modest increase in staffing reflects the greater efficiency of operation the new store will offer, despite the expected increase in trade.”

The firm says the store will bring new benefits including: greater space to offer a more pleasant customer experience; an easier working environment for staff; customer parking to enable easy shopping for large bulky shops; easy pedestrian and public transport links.”

Turnover is expected to be greater than at Lowther Street and is forecast at approximately £3.5 million. The report concluded: “Farmfoods must constantly work to compete with the giants of food retailing.

“One of the key challenges is to offer the ease of access and parking that customers carrying out a large food shop expect.

“Farmfoods have no other stores in Cumbria so their customers can come from a wide catchment. It is essential that when they do visit there is room to park and shop.

“Employees will find the store easier to work in, with greater space for stock storage, easier deliveries, and a better more modern working environment.”

The current store on Lowther Street will be demolished when the move has been completed.