Everyone loves a new supermarket opening, with these pictures we look back at when Mr Sainsbury himself unveiled his new Rayleigh Weir superstore.

Looking around - the store space covered a sales area of 22,835 square feet Looking around - the store space covered a sales area of 22,835 square feet (Image: Newsquest) Opening - a shopper is thrilled to meet Sir JohnOpening - a shopper is thrilled to meet Sir John (Image: Newsquest)

A lengthy queue of customers enthusiastically waited to get inside for the first day of trading in March 1981, where they were greeted by company chairman Sir John Sainsbury, and the new store’s manager Neil Cowley.

Queues - shoppers turned up in their drovesQueues - shoppers turned up in their droves (Image: Newsquest)

Checkout - Sir John Sainsbury chats to the till girlsCheckout - Sir John Sainsbury chats to the till girls (Image: Newsquest)

The opening was a resounding retail success to the extent that just 25 minutes after the doors opened, all 400 trolleys were in use and more had to be drafted in from the nearby Pitsea branch.

Manger - NeilManger - Neil Cowley on the trolleys (Image: Newsquest)Many Sainsbury’s customers felt at home straight away as Neil was a familiar face to them, being the manager at the Pitsea branch of Sainsbury’s for more than three years.

The store was an attraction due to its size - at a time when the only other hypermarket-style store in the area was SavaCentre in Basildon.