Beale to boost NW presence in Rochdale

DEPARTMENT store firm Beale is to operate a fourth North West shop after announcing a deal for the assets of the Westgate department store in Rochdale.

The listed company is paying £300,000 to the Anglia Regional Co-operative Society for the assets and has signed a 25-year lease on the premises.

Beale already operates three department stores in the North West in Bolton (Whitakers), Southport (Broadbents & Boothroyds) and Kendal and the new Rochdale site will be its 13th.

In a statement to the Stock Exchange the Bournemouth-based company said: “Beale PLC is impressed with the town centre plan and the new planned transport links and believes that its ownership of the store will provide the people of Rochdale with a better mix of shopping in the town than the current predominance of discount retailers.”