The trade chain is continuing its roll out, with seven new branches set to open this month - three of which are officially opening their doors today – and other locations in the pipeline set to take the estate to 381.

Toolstation is opening trade counters on Hersham Trading Estate in Walton-on-Thames, Springfield Industrial Estate in Elgin, and Streatham High Road in Norbury today, with special promotions to celebrate the launches that see customers get £5 off when they spend £25 or more.

They follow the opening of outlets in Malton and Enfield on September 2, with two more stores set to start trading this month - Middleton Trading Park in Middleton, and Optimum Business Park in Swadlincote, which are opening on September 16 and 23 respectively.

New Toolstation branches are also planned for Dorking, East Grinstead, Kendal, Pontefract, Plymouth Estover, Retford, Ringwood and Tyseley, with opening dates yet to be confirmed. That looks set to bring the total number of Toolstation trade counters opperating in the UK to 381. Considering the locatioon of the majority of its estate, Toolstation will, no doubt be buoyed by news today that retail parks saw a footfall increase of 1% last month, following from August 2018 when footfall increased by 0.3%. According to figures from the BRC and Springboard, the three-month average footfall growth for this area is 0.7%. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson OBE said: “Retail footfall continues its downwards trajectory this month, with high streets and shopping centres most affected... Only retail parks, with their combination of activities and shopping, were able to buck the trend."

As with the rest of the Toolstation estate, the new stores will trade seven days a week, including Bank holidays, opening 7am-8pm Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm Saturday, and 9am-4pm on Sundays. In July, Toolstation announced it had extended the opening hours of all of its branches in Scotland by an extra hour in the evenings.