The East of England Co-operative Society has exchanged contracts to acquire Wherstead Park, the site outside Ipswich vacated by energy company E.ON at the end of June. Chief executive, Richard Samson said: “Following the merger of the former Ipswich & Norwich and Colchester & East Essex Co-operative Societies in October 2005 we have been looking for an opportunity to bring together colleagues working at various sites in Suffolk and Essex. Wherstead Park will give us considerable flexibility to accommodate our own business requirements and will enable us to gain rental income from areas of the site not required for our own use.” The society is the third largest independent consumer co-operative in the UK and the largest independent retailer in East Anglia.