Community Shop Sunnyside officially opened in Great Lever, Bolton, Wednesday 16 September 2026. Located in the former Sunnyside Park Lodge in Great Lever, the new social supermarket opdened thanks to the support of Bolton family business, Warburtons, and Bolton Council.
The new Community Shop houses three distinct but interconnected spaces: Community Store, Community Hub and Community Kitchen. The new Community Shop will provide access to deeply discounted food and household essentials, including its Plenty for 20 range which provides fruit, vegetables and bread for only 20p. Profits will be reinvested into the Community Hub, which will deliver life-changing holistic support and development programmes, helping people across the local community to learn new skills and build their confidence. In addition, the Community Kitchen is a café that will enable people to connect with others and will offer home-cooked meals, with kids eating for free every day.
Warburtons, who is celebrating its 150th birthday this year, and Bolton Council are funding the regeneration of the vacant park lodge building into a new community asset. Community Shop Sunnyside (1 Moisant Street, Bolton, BL3 3AT) is located within Great Lever, which was selected for the new store as it is one of the UK’s most deprived communities[1] in the UK.
The store operates on a membership basis, which is free to those who live locally and are in receipt of a means-tested benefit. People can sign up for their membership card now at: www.companyshop.co.uk/community-shop or in-store from the opening day.
Brett Warburton, Executive Director of Warburtons said: “Our family business was born in Bolton, and we are very proud to play a part in bringing this new Community Shop to our hometown in our 150th birthday year. Our family business believes in supporting the people across the country and we hope this shop will become a central part of the local community, offering more than just food, but connecting people and offering life changing support.”
Gary Stott, OBE, Executive Chairman of Community Shop, said: “At a time when more and more people are experiencing food insecurity, our partnership with Warburtons and Bolton Council to bring a new Community Shop to the area is more vital than ever. The impact of food insecurity goes way beyond whether you have enough food, which is why Community Shop’s unique three-space model gives members the help and guidance they need to develop their own capabilities and feel empowered to deliver a positive future for themselves.”
