BOSSES at a homeware retailer have praised the “wonderfully creative and hard-working” people of Radcliffe at the opening of a newly-refurbished call centre that could create upwards of 150 jobs.

Dunelm’s redeveloped national Customer Contact Centre, in Green Street, opened officially on Tuesday with a ceremony that brought together the company’s top brass and local dignitaries.

The facility currently employs 96 people, but will now be able to accommodate up to 220 staff at any one time as the operation grows.

While no timescale has been put on expanding the call centre service, bosses say it could ultimately employ between 250 and 280 people.

Will Adderley, Dunelm chief executive, said: “This has been a very important building for us ever since we opened here 17 years ago.

“This was one of our biggest stores when it opened and represented a massive step forward for us, and now this is another big step.

“Today is just as big a milestone as when we opened and this really is just the beginning of what we have planned.”

Radcliffe is one of just three centres nationwide that houses Dunelm’s company infrastructure – alongside Leicester and Stoke on Trent – and Mr Adderley says it was a "no-brainer" decision to renovate the centre.

He added: “This store and the people of Radcliffe have been very kind to us, and that’s why it’s one of the few places in the country where we put down infrastructure.

“Not only do we have the space to expand here, but the innovative nature of the staff here is fantastic.

“They are such a wonderfully creative and hard-working group with a great ability to relate to customers, so it really was a no-brainer to house our national customer service centre here.”

The 10-week renovation project saw the store’s basement area converted into a call centre, with further investment in new telephones and computers expected this year.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Cllr Stella Smith, Mayor of Bury, said: “This is an absolutely fantastic workspace, and it’s very good that there is a company here in Radcliffe that cares about its workers enough to provide a facility like this.

“We have been very impressed with what we have seen here and all of the figures and plans that Dunelm have for Radcliffe.”

Cllr Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, added: “We are all delighted that Dunelm have chosen Radcliffe to house this centre.

“It’s going to mean extra jobs for the borough looking into the future and that can only be good news.”