JUST over a month ago the Pioneer was given a sneak preview of what the Port's new Asda supercentre looks like from the inside.

And last Friday afternoon we were invited back to the £25m landmark building to see how its massive fitting-out programme is taking shape.

The store, which replaces the old Asda just across the car park, is due to have its opening a week tomorrow, at 10am on Thursday, August 10.

And, according to manager Paul Rowland, it's well on target to meet the big deadline.

Just as he did at the end of June, Mr Rowland personally gave us a guided tour of the store which will become a regional flagship for the retail giant.

Asda had only just officially taken over the store from the builders but already a small army of staff were inside, stacking non-perishable goods on to shelves.

They were still wearing their familiar green uniforms but by opening day they will be the first Asda colleagues in the country to wear the chain's new, mainly-black corporate clothing.

Mr Rowland said that a massive recruiting process over the past few weeks has resulted in about 180 people being taken on to work in the new store, including a double-figure number who were recently made redundant from the axed third shift at the town's Vauxhall's plant.

One of the building's most striking features is its huge glass frontage.

Stepping inside, shoppers will be confronted be a vast sales area on two levels.

Immediately on the left will be the cigarette kiosk and customer services desk, next to which will be a large post office area with 10 counter spaces.

Continuing round to the left will non-food sales areas, including seasonal offers and toys. Behind that will be small domestic appliances and, towards the rear of the store an electronics department selling everything from LCD TV screens to iPods.

Dividing the massive store in half is another of its unique features the 'up' travelator taking customers to the mezzanine floor - the 'down' staircase is over on the extreme left-hand side.

In the far right-hand corner will be the bakery, the photo shop and - another first for Asda in the Port - a 100-hour pharmacy, open from 7am-11pm Monday to Friday.

The upper level will be given over mostly to the George clothing section.

On the far side, at the front of the store, will be a restaurant run on Asda's behalf by the Compass catering company.