Dicksons gets a new home in Asda South Shields as part of £100,000 collaboration creating 10 new jobs

Asda South Shields has welcomed North East family business Dicksons to it's store where customers can pick up freshly made coffees and food to go.

 As part of a £10,000 collaboration Dicksons has moved into the supermarket based on Coronation Street in the town centre creating 10 new jobs for the region’s largest family-owned food manufacturer and retailer, which celebrated its 70th anniversary this summer.  

 Bosses are delighted with their latest location, which will be open daily will sell a range of products, including breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, pies, barista coffee, and of course, their iconic saveloys.   

Mike Dickson, retail growth director for the Dicksons South Shields firm, said: “We’ve supplied Asda with our products for nearly 20 years now, so they know all about our family values and what our brand has to offer.  

Read South Tyneside's news on the go with our free email newsletters - bringing the headlines to your inbox. Catch up on the day's news and sport and enjoy even more from your Gazette. Visit our website here to find out more and sign up. 

“When they approached us to work together, we instantly thought it would be an amazing opportunity, not only for us as a business, but for our customers too as we will be able to stay open for longer.  

“South Shields is our heartland and Asda is at the epicentre of the town, it made perfect sense to get involved.   

“Asda has already had great success with similar ventures like this in the South West, so if this goes well, there may even be more potential collaborations, it’s a very exciting time for us all.”  

An Asda spokesperson added: “We’re pleased to be able to expand our partnership with Dicksons and bring a brand-new concession to our South Shields Store.

"Working with local suppliers, that we know will resonate with shoppers in specific areas, is something we’ve successfully trialed elsewhere and this partnership with Dicksons felt like a natural next step in that approach.”  

The new Dicksons site will replace its King Street branch which closed on Saturday, September 23, after decisions were made to not renew its lease.  

 However, the company's second town centre store in Fowler Street, along with the chain’s other 30 shops across the region, are trading as normal.  

READ MORE: Toner Avenue Primary School receive Stagecoach bus for OPAL programme

Mike added: “Naturally our King Street store holds a lot of dear memories for us all, we’ve been there since 1995. But the lease of the building had come to its natural end and serious decisions had to be made.   

“Footfall at that end of the town was poor, there’s many vacant premises there and several buildings are now demolished.   

“Now we are being offered guaranteed footfall and our brand is visible to thousands of shoppers every day. We’d be mad not to jump at the chance and see where it takes us.”   

The new Dicksons concession will be open from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays.