McLeish Bros set for Aberdeen... CR too?

SITE FOR ANOTHER NEW YORK-STYLE DELICATESSEN CHOSEN

25 February 2008
Published by The Press & Journal: 15 February 2008

The north-east business behind a fast-growing chain of New York-style delicatessens, McLeish Brothers, has revealed the chosen site for its second outlet in Aberdeen.

The new store will replace the Toy Bazaar shop at 45 Schoolhill, a spokesman said yesterday.

He said McLeish was taking on the toy shop's seven staff and would recruit about 18 others for its new operation, which it aims to have open by Easter.

Lease negotiations were said to be at the final stages, with the toy shop staff having been told of the handover, although Toy Bazaar owner George Duncan said nothing had been decided.

McLeish already has plans for a third outlet in the Granite City.

The company is owned by Stanley Morrice, who hails from Fraserburgh and now lives at Fintray, near Aberdeen.

Mr Morrice, previously managing director at Aberdeen-based food retail and supply business Aberness, said: "Expansion in the Aberdeen area is vital to our plans and we are actively continuing the search for suitable premises."

McLeish has seven shops - two each in Dundee and Broughty Ferry, and one each in Aberdeen, Inverurie and Glenrothes. Two stores are to open in Edinburgh within months and a further two in Glasgow are not far off.

Mr Morrice wants to have 25 shops, employing around 600 people, throughout Scotland by the end of this year.

He took over the Dundee-based McLeish business during 2006, with the first Aberdeen shop opening in the city's Union Street last July.

Other sites are being sought in Aberdeenshire.

Chairman of McLeish Brothers is John von Spreckelsen, non-executive chairman of confectioners Thorntons and a former chairman and managing director at supermarket chain Somerfield.