AT a time when all we seem to be told is doom and gloom it is so refreshing to hear some positive news.

The creation of 30 new jobs at Aldi in Ulverston, with staff set to start work next week, is a huge plus for the area.

Not only that but it's also a welcome and much-needed morale boost when so many people face an uncertain future.

Of course, the new supermarket has been a long time in the making, not least because of the original proposal to base a Sainsbury's at the Beehive site.

But ultimately it couldn't come at a better time.

And of course that relates not just to the creation of jobs but also the addition of a discount supermarket in Ulverston.

Not everyone can afford to shop regularly at Booths - as good as their produce is, it is also slightly more expensive than other stores.

But for those who are not able to drive or travel to Barrow there has been little alternative.

Of course some argued the addition of an Aldi was flying in the face of the need to 'Keep Ulverston Special' but there is no reason why mainstream can't cohabit amicably alongside the town's independent retailers.

This isn't about competition - it's about variety and choice.

Welcome to Ulverston Aldi - we don't doubt you will be welcomed by many in the town.