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A Sign of Progress: New Sainsbury’s Entrance Takes Shape in Tonbridge Town Centre

The multi-million pound redevelopment of Sainsbury’s in Tonbridge has reached a visible milestone this week, offering residents the clearest indication yet of the store’s future layout. A new Sainsbury’s sign has been installed over what will become the new main back entrance to the expanded supermarket. Crucially, this new entry point is now situated closer…

Tonbridge Bean

2025-11-06

1–2 minutes

High Street, Redevelopment, Sainsburys

The multi-million pound redevelopment of Sainsbury’s in Tonbridge has reached a visible milestone this week, offering residents the clearest indication yet of the store’s future layout.

A new Sainsbury’s sign has been installed over what will become the new main back entrance to the expanded supermarket. Crucially, this new entry point is now situated closer to the Angel Centre side of the site, marking a significant change to the familiar customer flow.

A Critical Step in the £20 Million Project

The installation is part of the extensive £20 million transformation that will see the existing Sainsbury’s integrate the former Beales department store next door. The project, which began construction in July, is designed to create a larger, more modern “flagship” store for the town, significantly increasing both food and non-food offerings, including extended Tu clothing and Habitat ranges.

As previously outlined in the development plans, the back entrance is being relocated to improve accessibility and traffic flow, guiding customers through a new corridor that leads toward the expanded non-food section within the former Beales building.

On Track for Completion

The appearance of the new sign confirms that the initial phase of work—converting the former Beales unit—is progressing well. The plan is a staged approach to minimise disruption:

Phase One: Convert the vacant Beales building.
Phase Two: Temporarily shift the store’s operations into the new Beales section.
Phase Three: Refurbish the existing Sainsbury’s unit.
Final Stage: Merge both sections into one seamless, modern supermarket.

The entire transformation is currently expected to be completed by mid-2026.

The visible changes, like the new signage, are a tangible sign that the long-anticipated project is moving ahead, bringing the promise of a revitalised retail experience closer to reality for Tonbridge shoppers.