One of the largest DIY chains in Britain plans to create 370 retail jobs in Northern Ireland at two warehouse stores, writes Francess McDonnell. B&Q said the jobs would be created in Craigavon and Newtownabbey by early next year. Each new B&Q Warehouse will be twice the size of a football pitch and will stock 40,000 products in over 1-1/2 miles of aisles.

The group, which opened its first store in Northern Ireland 12 years ago, B&Q employs 600 people in the North. It said yesterday the additional stores were part of its expansion programme in Northern Ireland and because of the success of its first warehouse store in Newry. Mr James Clarke, B&Q's regional manager in the North said the group planned to recruit people of all ages and experience to work in the Craigavon and Newtownabbey stores. The DIY chain has a policy of welcoming employees who are aged over 50 years because it believes that customers can benefit from the extra skills and experience mature workers bring to the job.