A SUPERMARKET has opened on the site of a former pub.
The Morrisons M Local on Hatfield Road, Witham, will add 20 new jobs to the town's workforce and will be open from 7am to 11pm every day.
The grand opening took place at 9am on Friday and was performed by children from nearby Howbridge, Chipping Hill, and Holy Family primary schools.
Barry Wells, store manager, said: "We are proud to be opening an M Local in Witham and creating 20 new jobs for local people.
"Fresh food will be at the heart of our store and as a team we will work hard to be a positive addition to the local community."
Residents have been reminiscing about some of the building's glory days as the Jack & Jenny pub, which closed in April last year.
Steve Thomas, 49, from Witham, said: "I remember one Saturday evening I walked in and Tony Adams, the Arsenal captain, was in there propping up the bar.
"It was the day after they won the Premier League on the Friday night with the last kick of the game.
"I remember thinking that was the last person I expected to see in there given the circumstances.
"The best governor the place had was John Quy, a proper old school landlord.
"He was the type that wore a blazer and grey trousers, and always wore a tie.
"I went in there one Christmas Day lunchtime and there was a tray on the bar full of single whisky shots for his regulars.
"You wouldn't get that these days.
"It's a shame because the Jack is less than a minutes' walk from my house, which is why I'm so disappointed it's no more."
Witham Town Council and some residents who live near the site down Maltings Lane were strongly against the proposal for a store on the site.
They raised concerns about antisocial behaviour after Braintree District Council approved the same licensing hours for the shop as the pub had enjoyed.
Residents were also concerned about the possibility of increased traffic in the road from lorries and cars from customers.
The lights at the store were also a hot topic at a Braintree District Council meeting in May when some councillors raised concerns about the brightness and amount of lights on the shop.
Councillors initially deferred a decision to grant the licence until clarity on the opening times could be given.
