New towns and shopping centres

The New Towns which were designated by the government from 1946 to provide better quality housing or accommodate ‘overspill’ from London provided important locations for the expansion of Sainsbury’s.

During 1957 and 1958 four self-service stores opened in the new towns of Hemel Hempstead, Crawley, Harlow and Stevenage. These stores occupied central positions in the town centre shopping precincts, providing focal point for new town communities.

As the concept of self-service shopping took hold during the 1960s and early 1970s, many smaller Sainsbury’s shops were closed down and replaced by larger supermarkets, often in new indoor shopping centres. In 1974, this concept was taken a step further with the opening of the new 'Sainsbury Centre' in Sutton Coldfield.

This was the first in a series of ‘composite developments’ owned by Sainsbury’s and comprising a six storey car park, a library and five shops as well as a Sainsbury’s supermarket.