Furniture store could bring 200 jobs to city

AN INDEPENDENT homeware business is close to building a store in Coventry - bringing 200 jobs to the city.

South Wales-based chain Leekes plan to build a 130,000 sq foot store on the site of the former Makro store, Gallagher Business Park.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough councillors gave the development the green light on Wednesday although government planning chiefs will have the final say.

If they give it the go-ahead, the family-owned business' existing Bedworth site - which they acquired in November 2009 - will relocate with all staff offered a transfer.

Company bosses claim the store would be the biggest in a 50-mile radius, allowing Leekes to offer the full range of products sold at its other homes in Wolverhampton, Wiltshire and Wales. It is scheduled to open in the summer after investment of over £6 million and will feature kitchens, bathrooms and conservatories as well as sofas, dining and bedroom furniture.

Emma Leeke, managing director, who spoke at the planning meeting, said: "This represents the start of an exciting next chapter for our business in the Midlands.

"The site will become the new Flagship Store for our business set in an extremely convenient location, opposite the Ricoh Arena and close to Junction 3 of the M6, and its size will enable us to offer the same range of products to current and new customers."

The company recently announced strong trading figures, both during the run up to Christmas and in the early weeks of its winter sales.