B&M retailer to move into closing Hartlepool B&Q store

Store chiefs at B&Q revealed in 2015 that the town’s branch at the Tees Bay retail park was to shut as part of a major restructure by the firm’s parent company Kingfisher.

B&Q previously said in October that the Hartlepool branch was due to close in the 2016-17 financial year but no firm date was given.

Last May however, the company said it was to close in January 2017.

Home retailer B&M has confirmed it will move into the soon-to-be vacant site, opening in spring.

Staff are set to move from the B&M store at Hartlepool Marina in the town to the new location.

B&M also has a store at Middleton Grange shopping centre.

A spokeswoman for B&M said: “We can confirm that we are taking over the B&Q site in Hartlepool and we hope customers are going to be delighted with their new store.

“We’re all really excited to get the development underway and welcome our new customers through the door in Spring 2017.”

It is not yet known how many staff will be working at the store when it opens.

B&Q’s parent company also owns building supplies chain Screwfix.

Hartlepool has a branch in Burn Road.

Councillors had previously told of their disappointment when the closure was announced.

The company said in May last year that a total of 60 B&Q stores are set to close all over the country and in Northern Ireland within two years.

It follows parent company Kingfisher posting a 7.5% drop in annual profits to £675million as annual sales fell by 1.4%.

Other towns and cities where branch closures have been announced include Bristol, Southampton, Dundee, Mansfield, and Birmingham.

No date has been set for the closure of the B&M store at the Marina.