B&M Retail is pushing further into Scotland and Northern Ireland with the £48m acquisition of Opus Homewares.

Directors Simon and Bobby Arora said they aimed to make B&M the new Woolworths following the deal, which adds another 36 stores to the business.

They will trade under the new name B&M Homeshops, specialising in furniture, homewares and soft furnishings.

The number of stores now run by B&M Retail now stands at 205. It has opened one store a week this year – a strategy that managing director Simon Arora pledged to continue.

“This acquisition is strategically important to us and allows us to expand the business into new parts of the UK where we are under-represented,” said Arora.

“The company is also seeking to expand into the south of England, though it is [now] focusing on organic growth rather than acquisitions.”

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