Rent-to-own retailer BrightHouse is to create 2,000 jobs during the next five years and open up to 420 new stores.

In an interview with The Times newspaper, BrightHouse chief executive Leo McKee said the store group planned to accelerate its store opening programme from 21 to 30 a year.

There are currently 230 BrightHouse stores selling electricals, furniture and homewares, and Mr McKee said the company’s own research showed that the UK could probably take up to 650.