By Julian Whittle Business editor

Published at 08:44, Friday, 11 January 2013

DIY giant B&Q is to open a new store in Penrith.

The company has signed a pre-let agreement to take space at Castle Retail Park in Ullswater Road.

The pet-supplies retailer Pets at Home will also open a store there. B&Q already has a Penrith outlet, in Bridge Lane, which has traded for more than 20 years.

The staff there will transfer to the new branch.

A company spokeswoman said: “We are looking to upgrade our current store, to give our customers a better shopping experience in a new and bigger store on Castle Retail Park.

“Our colleagues are aware of this and there will be no impact on jobs roles within the store.”

Work to expand Castle Retail Park, near the railway station, is underway.

Existing tenants include Aldi and Halfords.

Construction firm CPUK is building a 61,000 sq ft extension, which will provide high quality retail warehousing and 214 additional parking spaces. The scheme is due for completion in June.

B&Q will occupy 35,000sq ft of the extra space with a garden centre/builders yard of 18,000sq ft. Pets at Home is to take another 6,000sq ft in the unit next door.

Letting agent Edwin Thompson is looking for tenants for three further units, each with between 6,000sq ft and 14,000sq ft of space. All have planning permission for A1 ‘bulky goods’ retailing.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk