More jobs as discount store moves

Discount retail store B&M is set to relocate to Liverpool, creating 600 jobs on Merseyside.

The Blackpool-based chain is moving its headquarters and distribution centre to Estuary Commerce Park in Speke.

The decision was made following a £1.75m grant from the city's economic development company, Liverpool Vision, to help regenerate the area.

B&M said it planned to keep some of its Blackpool offices and "redundancies would be kept to a minimum".

'Heavy investment'

Up to 200 office jobs and 400 warehouse posts will open up on Merseyside, and the company said work will begin on the Liverpool site immediately, to have the headquarters and distribution centre operational by Christmas 2010.

The retailer's joint managing director, Simon Arora, said: "We have invested heavily in the business and have seen four years of excellent growth, but we needed to find a centre more geographically suited to our distribution needs.

"After looking at a large number of potential sites we have decided that Liverpool was the outstanding option.

"We foresee ourselves having a continued Blackpool presence due to our large numbers of stores on the Fylde Coast."

Jim Gill, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, said: "This is a very significant investment in Liverpool by one of the country's fastest growing retailers and underlines the attraction of Liverpool as a business destination."