A RETAIL gap in a flagship shopping centre is set to be filled tomorrow at 9.30am with the opening of a leading discount department store.T J Hughes will be opening at the Buttermarket Centre following a £1.4million investment and is set to create more than 80 full and part-time jobs.
A RETAIL gap in a flagship shopping centre is set to be filled tomorrow at 9.30am with the opening of a leading discount department store.
T J Hughes will be opening at the Buttermarket Centre following a £1.4million investment and is set to create more than 80 full and part-time jobs.
The 42,000 sq ft store will fill the major gap left by the departure of Allders following the collapse of the department store chain more than a year ago.
It is hoped its arrival will significantly boost trade in the shopping centre, which suffered a drop in footfall after Allders left.
It is T J Hughes's first store in Ipswich and the chain's 50th launch in the UK. The company's nationwide coverage now spans Dundee to Bournemouth and occupies over 2million sq ft of retail space.
The store is set to be opened by Ipswich deputy mayor Bill Wright and will offer a range of products from fashion to housewares, and perfumes to electrical goods, including famous brand names such as Calvin Klein, Triumph, Hush Puppies, Wrangler, Dyson, Electrolux, Bush and Tefal.
Robin Dickie, chief executive of T J Hughes, said: “Despite being relatively new to the region, we are delighted that the store is already creating such interest in Ipswich. By offering discounts for life and not just for sales, we are committed to ensuring that all our customers' requirements are met in each store we open.”
He added that they were “going the extra distance” to create a spacious but contemporary feel for their new Ipswich store.
Store manager Scott Forsyth said he was “delighted” to be heading up the team in Ipswich and said he was looking forward to offering local shoppers discounts of up to 70% on top brands.
“Everyone loves a bargain,” he said. “Now Ipswich shoppers - and especially those with a keen eye for a bargain - can get the labels and quality they love for less.”
The launch is one of 12 planned over the next 12 months by T J Hughes, which is hoping for even greater expansion in the medium term.
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