Bathroom retailer’s job boosting new HQ on track

A bathroom retailer which is launching a new HQ in Wakefield later this year says the 330,000 sq ft facility will create 200 jobs and inject £9.66m into the local economy in 2022.

Easy Bathrooms said that £1m will be paid in business rates alone to Wakefield Council each year, making it one of the largest rate payers and one of the biggest local employers.

£10m – funded by a loan from Lloyds Bank – is also being invested by Easy Bathrooms for the fit-out of the hub.

Fifty vehicles are also on pre-order in preparation for Easy Bathrooms’ anticipated growth, facilitated by the move, which will also create an additional 50 driving jobs.

A further 150 roles will be created across marketing, operations, warehousing, and finance by the end of the year, and an additional 200 roles will be created across the UK. Recruitment will start mid-summer.

Easy Bathrooms’ managing director and founder, Craig Waddington, said: “This move is the culmination of years of hard work and meticulous planning from our team, and I couldn’t be prouder to be creating jobs and supporting the thriving economy of Wakefield – the place where we opened our third showroom and home to one of my founding directors, Steve Browett.

“This year, we will open our 140th store. Wakefield will sit at the nucleus of this growth and be the beating heart of our business, so we truly believe that the site, which was previously designated as land for office space, will become an asset to the local vicinity.”

Easy Bathrooms will reach £100m in turnover in 2022 – the same as Victoria Plum.

It employs 645 people and reported turnover of £63.3m in 2021.