Screwfix to open 40 new stores by new year

Screwfix, which is owned by DIY giant Kingfisher, is set to open 30 new stores in the UK, and 10 more in Ireland.

The new stores will create 460 new jobs across retail management, service assistance and supervisor roles.

The retailer plans to complete the process by the end of January.

The home and DIY sector has been thriving amid the coronavirus pandemic as consumers in lockdown turned to home transformation projects.

The new openings mark a shift in consumer demand for convenience stores.

Screwfix currently has 680 UK stores with a target of 800 in the long term.

In Ireland, it has just five stores that opened earlier this year. It plans to operate a total of 40 stores in the country over the next few years.

Screwfix chief executive John Mewett said: “The growing demand for convenience means we’re opening more stores to help our busy customers get their jobs done.

“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.”