
Mobile network EE says it’s to open 50 new retail stores this year and modernise existing branches.
The company says the new stores will include both owned and franchised outlets and create around 350 new jobs.
However the network says it will also close an unspecified number of stores where they’re in close proximity to another branch – a legacy of the merger of Orange and T-Mobile’s retail chains when the two networks combined to form EE.
Deirdre Burns, Retail Director at EE, said: “This is a truly exciting time for our business. We have just announced that over two million customers enjoy superfast 4G – twice our target for 2013. Our retail team has played a key role in this success and we have no intention of standing still. The High Street is working for us, and we are committed to operating the best shops, in the right locations.
“We’ve already determined the new locations where we will develop and grow and now have plans for 50 EE stores to open in the areas, including a number of franchise outlets, over the next 12 months creating hundreds of new jobs.”
In addition to bolstering its high street presence, EE says it plans to improve its website and smartphone app to help customers access the information they need without visiting a store.