Retail giant BHS is preparing to open a food department at its store in the Ipswich Butter Market early next month.
It is advertising for staff and a spokeswoman for the company said that the opening date for the new department still had to be confirmed – a decision on when it would open was likely to be made early next month.
The company is advertising for section leaders and sales associates – and the development comes months after the company announced it was planning to open food departments in about 60 of its stores across the country.
When the company was established in the 1920s as a rival to Woolworths and Marks and Spencer, British Home Stores had food departments in most of its shops.
In the 1980s the company closed its food departments – although some, like the flagship store in Ipswich, continued to sell takeaway food and operate a restaurant.
Last year the company was sold by Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia fashion group to new owners – who announced that they had reached agreement with food distributors Booker to open food stores in up to 140 of its 171 stores over the next few years.
Chief executive Damien Topp said he planned to introduce 60 stores across the country this year – 20 opened last year.
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