A NEW department store is to open in Irvine with the promise of around 50 new jobs.

Watt Brothers have announced plans for a new 15,000 square foot store in the Rivergate and is expecting to be open for business at the beginning of December.

As part of the plans, the company which this year is celebrating its centenary in business, has called for applicants for a variety of positions from store manager to part-time weekend store assistants.

The positions available at the store are a mix of part-time and full-time roles with opportunities for weekend work and Saturday only too.

A Watt Brothers spokesman said: “The opportunity for us to open this new store is very exciting.

“We see Irvine as an established retail environment and one that’s ideal for Watt Brothers. We’re really looking forward to opening the Irvine store.

“We’re a long-established business and many of our existing team members have worked in our other eight stores for a long number of years.” The fourth generation, family-owned business has its existing workforce of 500 employees currently spread over its headquarters and warehouse premises in Govan and stores in Glasgow city centre, Robroyston, Livingston, Ayr, Clarkston, Hamilton, Lanark and Clydebank.

Managing director, Willie Watt, who is a great grandson of the business founder, Allan Watt, who formed the company during the First World War in 1915, added: “Our business has changed dramatically since it first opened its doors in Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street when the focus was exclusively on high end ladies’ fashions.

“We have evolved as a business and recognised that a retail offer including a wider range of great value products in a department store style setting has greater appeal to today’s consumer.

“We are also fortunate to have a great team working with us who are enthusiastic and focused on delivering what our customer wants. We’ve seen positive growth in terms of both turnover and customer numbers even in the recent recessionary period and we’ve continued our expansion in terms of new store openings.

“My long-term plan is to have a total of 16 stores throughout Scotland and we’re constantly looking at new opportunities to secure ideal locations.”