DIY firm Screwfix to open 40 new stores and create 400 jobs
DIY tool firm Screwfix has announced that it will open 40 new stores this year, creating around 400 jobs across the UK and Ireland.
The retailer, which is owned by Kingfisher, said that it would open 30 stores in the UK by the end of January, with 300 jobs in retail management, service assistance and supervision roles.
The remaining 10 stores will be opened in the Republic of Ireland, leading to the creation of up to 160 new jobs.
For Screwfix, the new stores mark the continuation of an expansion which has seen the trade tool and hardware store add at least 50 stores a year for the last decade.
The firm is one of the UK’s fastest growing retailers, and now boasts more than 680 stores. Over the long-term, it is looking to grow this figure to 800, along with 40 extra stores in Ireland.
As it was deemed an essential retailer, Screwfix was able to remain open during the coronavirus lockdown, which coincided with a rise in demand for DIY products as people were forced to remain at home.
Chief executive John Mewett said that it was opening the extra stores to deal with the boost in demand for its products.
“The growing demand for convenience means we’re opening more stores to help our busy customers get their jobs done”, he said.
“We know that time is money for our customers and these new stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland will not only enable us to provide our customers with added convenience and certainty, but also allow us to provide even more job opportunities for local communities when they need it most.”
Shares in Kingfisher rose 1.7 per cent on the back of the announcement.
The announcement is a rare example of good news in a sector that has been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic over the last six months.
Retail footfall has plummeted in shopping centres and high streets around the country over safety fears over the spread of the virus.
Yesterday it was announced that retail employment had fallen at the fastest rate in a decade in August.
According to figures from the CBI, 45 per cent of retail employees lost their job this month, the highest rate since February 2009.