The Saddlers Centre in Walsall has a new store opening next week, following a deal that was completed during lockdown.

Despite the current challenges facing the high street there has been some green shoots of good news for Saddlers Centre in Walsall, as the centre has completed a deal with zero waste store Eden’s Weigh who will open on Monday 24th August.

The first zero-waste shop in the UK opened in Devon in 2018 and there are now over 100 zero waste stores in the UK, but this is a first for Walsall town centre.

Zero waste stores require shoppers to bring reusable containers to take home everything from cereals and spices to washing-up liquid and laundry products. Containers can also be purchased in store, helping shoppers to swap out single-use plastics for reusable packaging.

Eden’s Weigh is operated by Mark & Kat Poynton.

Mark comments; “We had been looking for a town centre location for a while and the Saddlers Centre was the ideal location. Whilst not everyone may be brave enough to launch a new store at present we know this is a growing market and people genuinely want to use less plastic and do their bit for the planet. If we can help people do that as part of their everyday shopping then we are helping to make lives easier and doing the right thing for the environment.”

Every year at least eight million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean – that’s the equivalent of two bin lorries full every minute. Walsall as a town has a strong focus on reducing single use plastics with the WASUP – Walsall Against Single Use Plastic campaign led by Professor Gatrad OBE.

The letting to Eden Weigh was completed by joint agents for Saddlers Centre Wright Silverwood and Avison Young.