A HANDY new convenience store that has big buying power has opened for business in the Cranbourne area of Basingstoke.

The Nisa Local store is a family-run business owned by Kerminder Gill, offering a full range of grocery products, fresh foods as well as newspapers, magazines and soft drinks.

It also comes with an off-licence and an in-house bakery.

The store opened a few weeks ago in a former angling shop in Caroline Court, Cranbourne Lane.

Kerminder has transformed the premises into a bright, modern shop.

Delighted with the first few weeks of trading and the response from local customers, Kerminder puts the shop’s success partly down to its location.

“We did our research with Nisa,” explained Kerminder. “Around here, there were no supermarkets serving the Cranbourne area, the bottom part of Brighton Hill and the Viables business park – which is our catchment area.”

Kerminder, who five years ago ran his own supermarket in Twyford, has sound reasons on becoming a member of Nisa – Northern Independent Supermarkets Association – the largest supplier to the independent retail sector in the UK, with a turnover in excess of £1billion.

He said: “We went with Nisa because they have got the buying power to go to big companies and get good deals for us.

“It gives us the edge with the buy one, get two free deals, which we wouldn’t be able to do on our own – and some of the deals we have got are incredible.”

Also on offer in the store is the Nisa Heritage brand and a very wide range of chilled food products.

Kerminder said: “We’ve gone quite heavy on the chilled foods, and we have some really good, quick ready meals.”

Kerminder is planning to formally open the shop with a celebration over the Hallowe’en weekend, when he will be running a carved pumpkin competition.