Kingfisher buys North-east chain

Kingfisher has bought Dickens, a home and garden retail chain based in the North-east, through its French-based DIY subsidiary Castorama.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Kingfisher said Dickens had net assets of pounds 27m. Dickens' stores in Newcastle, Washington, Darlington and Shiremoor, which have a total of 40,000 square metres of retailing space, are to be converted to its B&Q Warehouse format, Kingfisher added.