ELECTRONICS group Dixons helped lift some of the jobs gloom hanging over the North-East yesterday when it announced plans to open six new stores.
The company said it planned to invest £5m in the region as part of an ongoing expansion programme.
Dixons enjoyed healthy like-for-like sales over Christmas, up by five per cent. The group is pressing ahead with expansion plans that will create about 240 jobs in the North-East.
Finance director Jeremy Darrock said the new stores would underline the group's commitment to the region.
The stores are expected to be divided between the Dixons, Currys and PC World brands.
Planned out-of-town Dixons xL stores will be larger than high street outlets and carry a wider range of goods.
However, the group is proceeding cautiously as there is a danger the xL stores could find themselves competing with Currys out-of-town sites.
The group's UK rival, Comet, recently opened a similar electronics superstore at Teesside Park, near Stockton.
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