IKEA announce new Calcot store will open in July

Road works around the site expected to be finished next month

SWEDISH furniture giant Ikea has today announced the opening date for the long-awaited Calcot store.

The store, currently under construction, is the first to be built in the UK in seven years and is set to open its doors on Thursday, July 14.

Work on IKEA's 19th UK store began in September 2015 with extensive road and junction improvements still ongoing in order to improve access to the site, located just off J12 on the M4.

Store manager, Johanna Heuren, said: “We are thrilled to announce the official IKEA Reading store opening date as we continue to move closer to bringing our home furnishing offer to people in the Thames Valley.

"We are still on the look-out for passionate and curious co-workers to be part of the team that brings IKEA to people in the Thames Valley, so I encourage anyone who shares our passion for home furnishing and people to get in touch.”

The 32,000 sq m store on Pincents Lane is expected to create up to 350 jobs in a wide range of exciting roles including customer relations, sales, interior design and in the IKEA restaurant.

In preparation for the store opening, IKEA has made £4m worth of investment in improving the local roads and junctions.

The road improvement works include replacing the existing roundabout on the A4 with traffic signals, widening Pincents Lane and improving lighting and routes for pedestrians.

The works are expected to be completed by June 2016.