Barkers Furnishing Store creates 15 new jobs with £3m Northallerton expansion

Barkers Furnishing Store has invested £3m into the expansion of its Northallerton store.

The family-owned store on Yafforth Road, which will officially open on Saturday, March 19, also see a change of name to Barkers Home after undergoing the major redevelopment.

The store has been expanded by 20,000 sq ft to 60,000 sq ft to create a section for contemporary furniture, bigger linens department, new cookshop and gifts section, while there has also been a revamp of the first-floor bedroom furniture and soft furnishings section.

The expansion marks the biggest investment by the Barker family, who also own Barkers department store on Northallerton High Street.

Barkers Furnishing Store currently employs 45 staff, but will create up to 15 new full and part-time jobs.

The business’ director Ian Barker said: “We hope this will draw in shoppers from outside the area and encourage them to spend time and money in Northallerton.

“We got planning permission to carry out this expansion just before the financial crash and, if we hadn’t had the recession, this redevelopment would have happened sooner.

“Now there is much more confidence surrounding the economy among consumers and retailers. This is a sign of our commitment to Northallerton as we plan to be around for many years to come.

“This has been a major project for us and the biggest development in Barkers’ history since the Furnishing Store opened.”

Building work started in May and is being carried out by Darlington-based Wharton Construction, another family business, which has worked for Barkers for the past 10 years.

A complete refurbishment of the first floor is expected to be completed in the next two weeks to create a new cookshop, gift section and department selling lighting, luggage, pictures, mirrors, beds and bedroom furniture.

The extended first-floor area will stock carpets and rugs, and an expanded linen section.

Following the expansion of the ground floor, Barkers will start to stock more contemporary furniture, including sofas, chairs and dining furniture.

Mr Barker added: “We hope to make the store a real destination for shoppers, not only local but new customers from outside of the area.

“We feel this redevelopment will bring a lot to the wider Northallerton community and economy.”