B&M Retail poised for South Liverpool depot

13 Oct 2009, 10:44

Lancashire-based discount specialist B&M Retail is expected to create hundreds of jobs at a new 611,000 sq ft distribution centre on Liverpool International Business Park.

The thriving Blackpool business has put The Vault warehouse under offer with a deal expected to complete soon. The premises were originally developed by Gladman and are now owned by Rockpoint.

B&M Retail trades as B&M Bargains and sells both non-food and groceries from 100 stores. The firm currently occupies a warehouse of similar size to The Vault in Blackpool's Squires Gate Industrial Estate. According to people familiar with the talks, far from all the 500 B&M warehouses workers are expected to relocate and the number of new posts could reach 600.

The investment will follow closely behind the news that Jaguar Land Rover is to create 800 jobs at the nearby Halewood motor plant for the contract to build a new low carbon Range Rover model.

B&M Retail is rumoured to be paying a heavily discounted rate of £24/sq ft to acquire the freehold of the South Liverpool unit, reflecting the low prices in the current buyers' market for industrial space. Landlords are doubly keen to dispose of units as the empty rates liability incurs cost on top of the usual debt.

B&M was founded in the 1970s and acquired by brothers Simon and Bobby Arora in 2005, when it had 21 stores. Today the group is expanding rapidly as it buys former Woolworths and Tradex stores.

The Vault is next to Bertelsmann's 500,000 sq ft printing plant off Speke Boulevard and near Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

CB Richard Ellis and M3 are marketing agents on The Vault. Burns Property Consultants is store acquisition agent for B&M retail.

All parties declined to comment.

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18 Comments Add Comment

this has been verifieid payed 22 million for it and move in in 8 months time, total relocation awaiting fit out …

comment by a worker their | 04/11/2009 06:56:15

As if people can relocate to liverpool from blackpool the majority of wharehouse staff can't even drive. B & M once small now big enough to forget about the little people!!!…

comment by Hmmm | 04/11/2009 06:57:49

B&M are not known in the Blackpool area as the best of employers and have a very large turnover of staff especially at its Squires gate warehouse, I hope if they do move they will get new management with good management skills sadly lacking in their Blackpool warehouse…

comment by rascal | 04/11/2009 06:58:03

total greed. if we keep our job will they pay travel exspenses? no chance. and no christmas bonus. and pay for your own christmas party. management treat you like ****. no management skills at all so really at end of the day it's a good thing they're going. theres life after bm …

comment by mind ur own | 05/11/2009 07:05:09

At least have the balls to put your name u idiots...if u want to relocate you can if you don't then go and get a new Job …

comment by Brian | 05/11/2009 07:05:39

That means.. If u wanna keep the job you need to move, if you don't then f*** off - go and find another job. Nice one. But why are people gettin to know about that from the radio, press ? Its really silly !!…

comment by existing worker | 05/11/2009 14:06:20

Having once worked at B&M I know a little of how the warehouse staff are treated, certainly the warehouse management have absolutly no man management skills, treat the workforce like s--- and only the grovelling back stabbers get on through telling tales and sucking up to the mnanager…

comment by Jim | 05/11/2009 14:06:36

B&M have to be one of the worst companies to work for in Blackpool, they make so much money but never give out to the people who actually make the company run.
Bonus schemes that over time have got harder and harder to achieve and no Christmas bonus, most of the current workers do work hard and deserve better treatment, when you're on crap money to begin with it would be nice to get a little thanks for the hard work you do.
The best thing was hearing about the move to Liverpool from everyone other than the company you work for nothing better than hearing it on the local radio and reading in the newspaper than actually being told what's going on, just a little written notice on the notice board 2 days after the news broke out was what we got.
It is a badly run place you only get anywhere if your face fits, or you're good at ar*e licking, people get sacked for daft reasons there's no real 'team' workforce due to the amount of people coming and going and generally as a whole staff morale is always low, people say 'find another job' but here in Blackpool it's not that simple most of the jobs are seasonal and generally there aren't a lot of jobs to go for, and to say the move to Liverpool will help unemployment is indeed true but the impact of the move here will just create even more people without jobs…

comment by current worker | 07/01/2010 08:23:08

dont get exited if you live in speke and are looking forward to a possible job at b and m bargains.most of warehouse staff on minimum wage,drivers on not much more with no overtime rates payed.treated like ---- and no respect from managment.b and m,your welcome to em.…

comment by bm worker | 12/01/2010 07:39:52

i will be very suprised if b+m last twelve months in liverpool,home bargains is overtaking them rapid,who is going to work for b+m when other companies in liverpool offer far better pay and working conditions.Look at b+m vehicles on the road,filthy,damaged,Warehouse like a bombsite.Steptoe and son springs to mind.Good luck in liverpool you will certainly need it.…

comment by sitbackandsee | 20/02/2010 12:49:38

im security at b&m and its a good job. staff turnover is high but thats because people dont meet their targets, are caught steeling or quit because they cant hack hard work. as for the move we are kept in the dark and hear nothing i dont know where i stand and when i should start looking for a new job.…

comment by lee | 14/03/2010 12:03:13

Hi i am an ex homebargains employee and was looking forward to this big move from b&m . after reading your comments. it sounds as bad as hobo's i was a lucky one who got out. but i do miss the type of work. ss…

comment by David | 07/04/2010 08:49:31

i am hoping to get a job there it is good news for the area…

comment by Brian Wright | 08/09/2010 16:02:48

Son started on Monday. 7 hour shift, with half hour break for lunch sitting on the floor of a room with some lockers around the walls, 3 chairs, one which was broken and one small table for 30+ workers all having their lunch. No drinks machines or canteen or anything. 4 hours "training" then left on his own. Next day, 5 and a half hours into the shift, son and another worker told they weren't good enough and that they'd be escorted off the premises! Good-luck to anyone unfortunate enough to get a job there.…

comment by Mrs H | 16/09/2010 08:15:54

i would not recommend anybody going to work for b&m i left a job i was in for 7 yrs to go and work there,biggest mistake of my life! forced to work 6 days for min wage with no overtime rate,no canteen just small room with 3 chairs for around 30 or so people dragging heavy pallets up and down isles for 7 and half hours and shouted at when u stop for a rest!also 90% of workers there are polish,management treat the staff like crap,walked after a week!…

comment by ian | 24/09/2010 08:36:57

dont work at b and m the worst place you could ever work stay away what a joke…

comment by ha ha | 15/10/2010 08:36:51

ex worker at speke dont work for bm spoke to like dirt, c**p money.....no over time rate poor training . i could go on and make sure your polish is a good standard you will need it to beable to talk to people .…

comment by TOMMY | 22/08/2011 15:19:22

I might have a chance of a job in Liverpool site reading all ur comments has really made me think do I really want to work for this company …

comment by Anonymous Reader | 30/08/2011 17:41:49