Clark Contracts has announced the completion of a new £5 million B&Q store in Galashiels, Tweedbank. The purpose-built store is designed with a strong focus on sustainability.

To celebrate the store's opening, representatives from Clark Contracts, including the project team, joined B&Q unit manager David Macpherson and his team, local MP John Lamont, Councillors Watson McAteer and John Paton Day from Scottish Borders Council, and local piper Bruce Hastie for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new 20,000 sq ft store incorporates several environmentally friendly features to support B&Q's commitment to reducing its operational impact. The store is electrically heated using energy generated by on-site solar panels, with excess energy stored in batteries to maximise efficiency and minimise reliance on the national grid. High-performance insulation made from rock and mineral fibre has been used throughout the building, and a rainwater harvesting system is in place to water plants in the garden centre and for flushing toilets.

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The store offers a range of departments, including a showroom, tools and hardware, paint and décor, and a garden centre. Customer services include paint mixing and a timber cutting service, and there is a dedicated TradePoint area with separate parking for trade customers.

Kingsley Mack, B&Q Director of Property, commented on the project: "Over the last nine months we've been working with the Clark Contracts team to bring our new, modern and purpose-built store to life, and give our customers access to a fully considered space with their convenience in mind. We look forward to welcoming customers to the store."

Michael Scanlan, Director at Clark Contracts, added: "We were delighted to continue the growth of our dedicated Retail division and complete this project with new customer B&Q. We enjoyed working collaboratively with B&Q and the design team to deliver this store, and hope this new unit will improve the shopping experience for local customers."

The project was a collaborative effort involving Building Design Northern (BDN), Dave Dickinson & Associates, and Tennyson Suite.