Thursday 17`^h February 2005

MILTON KEYNES SCORES AS WORK BEGINS ON STADIUM SITE ASDA to Create 1000 jobs

Attending today's groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of work on the Milton

Keynes stadium and arena site, Asda's Mark Turner said: "Asda is delighted that work is starting on our 20th Supercentre. We are now a step nearer to bringing our largest ever job creation scheme to Milton Keynes with up to 1,000 jobs on offer.

"We've been delighted with the amount of support we've had from local people, and can't wait to open. If all goes well, we will begin trading before Christmas. The Supercentre format will allow us to offer our biggest and best food and non-food ranges to customers, all at our legendary low prices, helping keep Milton Keynes on the map as a great place to shop.

"This project is a wonderful example of what partnership can achieve. Milton Keynes is gaining fantastic facilities including the new stadium and store, and the proximity of this development to Bletchley means that its town centre will receive a much needed boost as a result of all the additional visitors to the area.

"There are many people to thank: the Milton Keynes Council, English Partnerships, Bletchley Development Board, SEEDA and the local community - but most of all Pete Winkelman. If it hadn't been for his passion and determination this project would never have been more than a dream