HIGH street retailers B&M have announced plans to open a depot in Middlewich this year, creating 250 jobs.


B&M Retail Limited has confirmed it plans to create a total of 500 new transport and warehousing jobs at two new warehouse and distribution centres in the north west in Middlewich and Runcorn.


The new Middlewich B&M depot will be at the former Tesco distribution site on Pochin Way which was vacated for a new home in Milton Keynes in 2013.


It is set to be open and operating by September this year and B&M are already taking applications to fill 250 jobs at each location.


Mike Benson, distribution director, said: “We are delighted to have agreed terms to acquire these premises which had both been vacant for some years. In doing so, we are creating much needed employment for Class 1 HGV drivers, warehouse operatives and supervisors.


“These high bay, modern facilities are either strategically located on the M6 motorway network or convenient for our primary distribution centre in Liverpool, and a much-needed improvement on our legacy warehousing.”


The news of the two new warehouses Middlewich and Runcorn comes after the announcement that B&M Retail Limited has been admitted to the FTSE250 index of publicly listed companies on the London Stock Exchange. For the year to March 2015, B&M achieved revenues in excess of £1.6bn and currently trades from 445 stores in the UK.


The 250 new employees at the Pochin Way depot are set to join the new warehouse as well as transfers from the company’s other warehouses in the north west.


Any applicants wishing to apply for jobs can visit bmstores.co.uk/careers where all roles will be advertised.