Sports Direct is to significantly expand its presence in Scunthorpe.
The retailer has taken over the huge former TJ Hughes unit in the town, a site which has stood vacant since 2011, when the chain went into administration.
It will be a significant boost for The Parishes Shopping Centre, with the 40,000 sq ft building now being fitted out, with a spring 2020 opening envisaged.
The two-storey Mary Street site will include both Sports Direct and a USC fashion store.
It is double the size of the existing High Street outlet it is to replace, with staff moving across and new jobs created.
Exact numbers have yet to be confirmed.
A spokesperson for Sports Direct, the key plank of Mike Ashley’s retail empire, said: “This is a major part of Sports Direct’s brand elevation strategy that will see a huge investment in a number of new stores, while upgrading and improving existing ones across the UK.
“This is the strategic vision of the business as it aims to meet the demands of an ever more sophisticated consumer who is increasingly looking for not only good value, but an enhanced shopping experience.”
TJ Hughes, a department store, had been open for a decade when he axe fell, with the loss of 38 jobs. It had been considered as a potential relocation for Scunthorpe Market, but North Lincolnshire Council opted for the BHS site instead.
It is one of 35 new stores that Sports Direct is planning to open in the next three years.
