BUILDERS merchant brand Jewson scored a hat trick of footballing guest appearances for the reopening of its St Austell branch.

Footballing legends Peter Reid, Jimmy Bullard and Nigel Martyn were present at the newly-refurbished store, for a special celebration event today (February 6), where they spoke with fans and competed against guests in a series of sporting challenges including darts and mini-golf.

Local comedian Johnny Cowling was on hand to host a Q&A session with the celebrity guests, while visitors got the chance to meet the Dulux dog who was attending to represent the British paint brand.

The event offered complimentary food and drink stalls, with Niles Bakery and Korev among the local businesses represented, while live music by North Cornwall-based singer Kaj and supplier demonstrations in the store took place throughout the morning.

Speaking to the Voice, branch manager Steve Wickett said: “It’s great to open up the branch today to all our customers and tradespeople because during the build it was challenging but equally rewarding. It was frustrating and fun at the same time, but my team stepped up to every challenge and ultimately they have delivered.

“What everyone has seen today is the best part of 12 months hard work from everyone in branch to help get us to where we are today. My colleagues have got a new energy about them because of what we’ve got now, they feel like new staff members in a way. Everyone has just stepped up to the mark.”

The launch event gave football fans and guests the opportunity to chat with the three former Premier League players, who were more than happy to sign autographs, take selfies and reminisce about their playing days with the public.

In a heartwarming moment, St Austell-born former England goalkeeper, Nigel, signed a shirt for a young Leeds fan who attends his old school, Mount Charles Primary.

The former Leeds number one himself said: “It’s been good fun with Jimmy and Peter today and it’s been just lovely to be back home. I was literally born 400 yards from this spot so this is really my old stomping ground. I’ve already met people I went to school with so it’s been lovely. This is still home for us and always will be.”

Plans to revamp the St Austell branch began in the summer of 2023, just a few months after Jewson was acquired by European building materials distributor Stark.

Those involved in the redesign drew inspiration from other Stark businesses that are based in the Nordics and Germany. The team tried to replicate certain features that they thought would resonate with customers.

John Carter, chief executive of Stark in the UK, said: “We didn’t want to replicate what was in the market and so we developed a concept which internally we called the ‘branch of the future’.

“We looked at examples in our existing branches and thought about how we could replicate a lot of the features that we saw across Europe. St Austell fit the bill really well because it was a successful branch, had a great branch manager and team, that were in a strong position and trading well.

“Steve’s been on the job for the last 12 months and it’s been an incredibly challenging time for him and the team because we ripped the branch apart and rebuilt it whilst we were still trading. I’ve got nothing but admiration for Steve and the team because the finished article doesn’t really reflect the hard work that he and the team put in.”

“What we’re trying to do is cater for those who want speed of service and to go in and out as fast as possible, while creating a create comfortable zone for those who want to come in, spend some time with our staff and discuss their job, materials and scheduling with us. It’s all about being able to offer customers a one-stop shop and great service.

“We’re on a journey and I think we’re rejuvenating the Jewson brand by modernising it and making it more relevant for the future. It will be business as usual now but we will be continuing to improve and evolve.”