Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

North Shore Pak'n'Save opens after long battle

Updated at 2:46 pm on 3 May 2009

After nearly 20 years, Foodstuffs opened its Pak'n'Save store on Auckland's North Shore on Sunday, following a drawn-out legal bid by its supermarket rival to stop it.

The Wairau Road site was bought by Foodstuffs in 1989 and the framework of the store was built more than four years ago, but remained empty as Progressive Enterprises sought to overturn consent for the building.

Foodstuffs managing director Tony Carter says despite the drawn-out legal process he was always confident the store would open.

He says the legal battle had been an enormous waste of many people's resources but the fight had been worth it.

Foodstuffs says 300 new jobs have been created at the store.

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