Peacocks is set for retail park

A new fashion store is set to open over the summer at the former B&Q site on a Stafford retail park.

Family clothing chain Peacocks is taking on one of the four units currently available at Queens Retail Park, off Queensville.

Work is due to start next Monday to fit out the building, ready for the grand opening on August 21. The company has just started advertising for sales staff for the store, including part-time, weekends and temporary workers, with recruitment due to take place in mid-July.

Peacocks will be in the 7,500 sq ft unit near to the existing Instore shop. The Stafford store will be one of 29 new Peacocks shops due to open over the coming months across the UK.

It will form part of a new complex on the B&Q DIY chain's old site, which includes the new Next superstore.

Redevelopment of the site was completed last month and Next started fitting out its store this week.

Due to open in August, the Next store has just begun recruiting new staff. About 80 jobs are expected to be created by the store.

Negotiations are now under way to fill the remaining three available units at the site – one of 10,000 sq ft and the others of 7,500 sq ft. Queens Retail Park has been bought from Capital and Counties by major property group British Land for £39 million and is being operated by Hercules Unit Trust, a joint venture with The Crown Estate.

Hercules asset manager John Maddison said the deal with Peacocks was signed this week and said talks were ongoing to let the remaining three empty units.

He said: "I would like to get these five new shops opening at broadly the same time. My aspiration is for them all to be trading in time for Christmas."

"We also have long-term intentions to improve the site and make further investment in the retail park," added Mr Maddison.

B&Q has now opened a new base at the Hough Retail Park. Queens Retail Park also includes Stafford Sport Arenas, Matalan, Dunelm, Instores, Carpetright, Pets at Home and Gala Bingo.