TV star Tom to open new store

Feb 25 2002 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Tom Owen

ACTOR Tom Owen will cut the ribbon to open Huddersfield's new department store this week.

The star of TV's Last of the Summer Wine will carry out the ceremony when Beatties opens for business at 9am on Friday - 15 minutes after the opening of the £50m Kingsgate shopping centre.

Tom is the son of the late Bill Owen, who played Compo in the long-running TV comedy.

He will be joined by VIP guests, including Kirklees Mayor Clr Mohan Sokhal and Beatties' managing director Chris Jones.

Store manager Martin Pollitt will also welcome representatives of Kirkwood Hospice, the charity which Beatties is supporting during its opening week.

He said the store hoped to raise at least £2,500 for the Dalton hospice with opening week activities, including £5 for every Beatties storecard account opened by March 9.

The new store, employing about 300 people, is Beatties' first in Yorkshire.

The Midlands-based group has 10 other department stores nationwide and employs more than 2,500 staff.

Kingsgate will open shortly before 9am on Friday, when more than 20 stores will begin trading.

Other retailers will open later in the month, following shopfitting.