Discount chain B&M brings 600 jobs to Liverpool

Nov 4 2009 Liverpool Daily Post

DISCOUNT store chain B&M Retail is moving its headquarters and national distribution centre to Liverpool, in a move that will create 600 jobs.

Trading as B&M Bargains, the firm is moving its national headquarters and distribution centre to the Estuary Commerce Park in Speke next year.

The company is moving its base from Blackpool, and says the move will bring 200 office jobs and 400 warehouse, packing and distribution roles to Liverpool.

B&M wanted a new base to support its expansion plans and looked at several sites before settling on The Vault, in Speke.

Economic development agencies Liverpool Vision and The Mersey Partnership both negotiated with the company to encourage it to choose Merseyside. Liverpool Vision is to give B&M grants of up to £1.75m, depending on the number of jobs created.

B&M says it will work with officials to make sure local residents win as many new jobs as possible. B&M joint managing director Simon Arora yesterday described Speke as the ideal location for his company because it is near Liverpool’s docks and has easy access to the motorway network.

He said: “Its location in respect of docks and logistics works well for us. A lot of our products, for example, come in from the Far East. There’s also a strong tradition of discount retailing in this area. The skill-set we are looking for already exists in this area.”

B&M Retail was founded 30 years ago. When it was bought by Mr Arora and his brother, Bobby, in 2004, it had 21 stores and an annual turnover of £65m. Today it has 135 stores and enjoys turnover of £255m annually.

There are 12 B&M Bargains in Merseyside, including Walton, Birkenhead and Huyton. It also has stores in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Widnes and Ormskirk.

Discount retailing is one of the few sectors to have grown during the recession. Merseyside is home to several key players including Matalan, TJ Hughes, Ethel Austin and Home Bargains owner TJ Morris.

Mr Arora said B&M planned to keep expanding across the UK.

The firm is investing £8m in refitting the 600,000sqft The Vault warehouse. The company plans to move in by next Christmas.

Liverpool Vision chief executive Jim Gill said: “This is a significant investment by one of the country’s fastest-growing retailers.”

BILL GLEESON: PAGE 8;OPINION – MAIN PAPER: PAGE 12