Variety retailer B&M, which has more than 600 UK outlets, has confirmed it is to include a garden centre when it relocates to a former Homebase store on the outskirts of Ipswich...

The company said it will be relocating its Bargains store in Ipswich on Ransomes Europark to “a much bigger and better space just round the corner”.

Feedback from regular customers suggested they wanted a bigger shop and even more products.

The store currently employs 43 but the bigger space will see them taking on more than 40 additional staffs.

The current store will close on Sunday 1 September and the new store will undergo a comprehensive internal and external make over programme before opening its doors on at 9am on Saturday 21 September. 

Customers can expect to find a wide variety of branded products including toys, food and drink, pet range, health & beauty and homewares as well as an extensive DIY, decorating and furniture range. 

The store will boasts its own garden centre - with everything from seeds to pots and hundreds of plant varieties delivered fresh to store throughout the season. 

Store Manager Tim Pitts, said: “We're feeling really positive about the creation of more jobs for local people and we hope customers are going to be delighted with their new store.

“We are all really excited to get the doors open and welcome our customers through the door next month.

B&M, whose mantra is ‘top branded products at sensational prices’, regards gardening as a key category for its value offering and operates a number of garden centres within its portfolio of outlets that criss-cross the UK from Aberdeen to Penzance. Gardening was a significant element in the Homebase mix.