The opening date for a large new Co-op with a cafe in a Derby suburb has been confirmed – after two nearby stores were closed last month to make room. Central Co-op confirmed that its Chellaston and Sheltock Lock stores – in Derby Road and Chellaston Road, respectively – were closing in December ahead of plans to open a larger, enhanced store at the site of a well-known former pub.
Plans were submitted in 2023 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 and includes a partial demolition of the existing building, which also traded for decades as The Golden Pheasant.
It was known as one of Derby’s best restaurants in the 1970s and 80s but has since been left untouched since it closed for good in January 2023. After the closure of the two Central Co-op stores, the retailer said local members and customers were informed about the decision to close the supermarket “well in advance” to ensure a “smooth transition”.
A Co-op spokesperson 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.” Derby City Council approved the plans officially on Friday, January 26, 2023.
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.” The new Insomnia Cafe on site opened in late December, with the Co-op store itself set to open on Friday, January 10.