A HOME and leisure chain has opened in the North-East creating 100 North-East jobs.

The Range has launched a site at Darlington Retail Park.

The outlet, based in Homebase’s former Yarm Road site, will employ about 100 full-time and part-time staff across management, warehouse and administration posts.

The store reinforces the company’s desire to take a stranglehold on North-East markets, after it previously opened a 150-job site in Benton, North Tyneside, to complement existing shops in Stockton, Hartlepool and Sunderland.

Owned and run by entrepreneur Chris Dawson, The Range operates a number of departments, including DIY, furniture, homeware and arts and crafts.

Mr Dawson founded the company in 1980 as a market trader and said the North-East was important to its growth plans.

He said: “We are a fast-growing company and Darlington will play an important role in our growth.

“This move comes at an exciting time for us, and is part of an expansion that has seen more than 25 stores open in the last two years, creating almost 2,500 jobs.

“Darlington is the perfect location for us and we are confident the people of in the town will enjoy what we have to offer.”

The store will be officially opened by Darlington mayor Gerald Lee, with the company offering prizes for its first 50 customers.

The Range confirmed its plans to move to Darlington in February, which, at the time, provided a double lift for the town’s employment landscape.

Its announcement came alongside The Northern Echo revealing Capita, which handles a wide range of contracts for the private and public sector, confirmed it was staying in the town, securing about 450 office jobs.

The firm is moving to a base on Lingfield Point Business Park, using 42,000 sq ft of space to accommodate staff from existing offices in Darlington.