Barkers Home to create 15 jobs following £3m refurb

The Barkers Home shop in Northallerton has revealed the result of its £3m store refurb and now plans to create a raft of new jobs.

Following the improvement project, the Yafforth Road store has grown by 20,000 sq ft to encompass 60,000 sq ft of retail space, expanding its linens department and adding new sections covering contemporary furniture, cooking and gifts.

Bosses at the store now plan to take on another 15 members of staff in full- and part-time positions.

The expansion, which also revamped the first-floor bedroom furniture and soft furnishings section, is the biggest investment made to date by the Barkers. The family also operate the Barkers department store on Northallerton High Street.

Work is now due to begin on second phase of the redevelopment work, during which the seating capacity of the shop’s Tree View Cafén will be expanded from 100 to 150.

Meanwhile, the store’s exterior is being overhauled with the help of garden designer Will Quarmby.

Barkers director Ian Barker commented: “The whole redevelopment will transform Barkers Home into a modern, vibrant store. To be a serious player in the furnishing market, we need to continually improve.

“We are so excited about this new look to the store and we can’t wait for our customers to come and see the result of our work over the last few years. As well as being a furniture store we are now a complete store for the home.”

He continued: “The expanded store is large for the size of the town, but Northallerton draws from a vast area including Leeds, York, Teesside and Scarborough, and has earned a terrific reputation for its choice of quality shops and stores, unique independents and multiples, and easy parking.”

Speaking further, Ian said the next phase of improvement works will begin after Easter.

Wharton Construction, the Darlington-based building firm, is carrying out the project.