Chellaston Co-op store closes ahead of new branch with cafe opening nearby

A Co-op branch in a Derby suburb has closed ahead of the opening of a new branch with a cafe around a mile away.

The Co-operative food store in Derby Road, Chellaston, bid farewell to its customers over the weekend (Saturday, November 2) ahead of plans to open a new branch with a cafe in Shelton Lock.

Plans were submitted last year to transform the former House of Darwin pub site in Shelton Lock into a Co-op after the company purchased the building. It outlined plans to turn the site into a new mini supermarket with an Insomnia cafe.

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The plans include a partial demolition of the existing building, which also traded for decades as The Golden Pheasant, known as one of Derby’s best restaurants in the 1970s and 80s, with a total of 38 car parking spaces set to be available next to the revamped building.

Derbyshire Live has asked Central Co-op about the future of the existing Shelton Lock store in Chellaston Road, which is less than 100 yards away from the new House of Darwin site. It was not mentioned in the press release shared by the organisation.

Co-op says local members and customers were informed about the decision to close the supermarket "well in advance" to ensure a "smooth transition". A spokesperson for the store said: "The closure aligns with our ongoing commitment to build a sustainable society for all and serve our communities effectively.

"Part of this commitment includes regular evaluations of our store locations to ensure we’re positioned where our members and customers need us most, and that stores contribute towards our financial sustainability so we can invest back into the communities we serve and deliver our extensive regeneration programme.

"With a new store opening in Shelton Lock, less than a mile from the Chellaston location, we’re confident that we can continue to meet the needs of our local members and customers."

The spokesperson went on to add that the new mini supermarket is set to open in early 2025 and will include an Insomnia cafe - which is set to launch by the end of the year.

Derby City Council approved the plans officially on Friday, January 26, earlier this year. It said the new development could have “some impact” on neighbours but those concerns were not severe enough to refuse the application.

A decision notice by the city council said: “The development is generally acceptable in policy, design, residential amenity, environmental impact and highway terms. The previous use of the site was a public house which also served meals and had external seating and drinking areas. The public house was served by draymen and delivery vehicles and a sizeable car park was available for patrons.

“In the opinion of the local planning authority, whilst the proposed reconfiguration of this site will have some impact on neighbouring residents, through deliveries and general disturbance, it would not be so severe to warrant refusal of the application on amenity grounds given the history of the site and the ability to impose safeguarding conditions. Therefore, on balance, the proposed development accords with the development plan, when considered as a whole.”