Mothercare aiming to boost UK staff and its overseas expansion

Mothercare is hiring 400 extra UK staff over the next three years and ramping up the rate of its overseas store openings as the kidswear and baby-product specialist expands.

The retailer, which also owns the toy chain Early Learning Centre, needs the extra staff as it is pulling some branches off the High Street to open out-of-town giant stores.

These "parenting centres" currently make up 40% of UK store space and 65% of UK profit. They helped the group post an 11.1% hike in first-half, pre-tax profit to £10 million. Mothercare is launching in South Africa and Australia after a "record first half" in its international division. Sales from its 694 stores abroad rose almost a third as it opened 85 stores, including franchises in China and India.

Chief executive Ben Gordon said it was ideal expansion time as the retailer had "had a lot of success" in reducing rents. "Landlords are negotiating. The boot is on the other foot right now."

Ahead of Christmas he said: "It's impossible to predict but we're hopeful." He reckons the best-selling toys will be a "retro robot" and doll's house.