On the eve of opening another dedicated pet care shop in Workington, Poundstretcher has announced plans to develop a further 60 Pet Huts throughout the country this year...

The latest Pet Hut will be located within Pounstretchers'  Clay Flatts store in Annie Pit Lane, Workington, and opens onFriday.

Poundstretcher began opening in-store Pet Huts last year.

The 400-strong chain has long sold pet products but hopes that the dedicated space will help it win a bigger share of a market.

A spokeswoman for the company said: “The new range will consist of food for dogs, cats, small animals, fish and wild birds, plus pet accessories.

“We have been selling pet products within Poundstretcher for many years, so giving pet care dedicated space is a natural progression for us.”

The Workington outlet will be Poundstretcher’s nineteenth Pet Hut and the first in Cumbria.

There are plans to open a further 60 by the end of 2014.

Poundstretcher was established in 1981. It sells discounted homeware including kitchenware, quilts and pillows, bedding, bathroom products, furniture, electric goods, beds, luggage and children’s toys.

The company announced last year that it planned to concentrate on retail parks, such as Clay Flatts, and close around half of its 150 town-centre stores when the leases expire.

Fifteen were expected to shut this year. It will continue to open in out-of-town locations, however, with 50 new stores expected in 2014.

It aims to have 600 stores by 2018.