Lakeland plans new store design roll-out

Cumbria-based homewares retailer Lakeland has opened the first of a new format of store in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Design consultancy Small Back Room produced the concept for the 5,715 sq ft store following a pilot store opened in Durham in April. The refurbishment schedule is now in place to take the design around the group's 40 stores in the next year.

Julian Rayner, estates director at the Windermere and Kendal-based retailer, said that the revised format was 30% cheaper to install than the Durham store.

Lumsden said: "The reduction has been achieved by taking out certain elements, such as the chandelier [created from 397 Lakeland utensils] and by putting out store fixtures and shopfitting to tender."

In the year to 31 December 2007, Lakeland sales rose 24% to £125.6m and pre-tax profit was flat at £6.3m.