A NEW furniture and white goods shop will be opened by Bolton Council in the heart of the town centre.

Workmen are already on site preparing 53/55 Victoria Square — formerly Milletts — into The Shop At The Square, selling washing machines, dryers and tables and chairs on affordable credit.

Funding for the new shop — due to open in April — was set aside as part of Bolton Council’s £1 million anti-poverty strategy, after research showed people were most likely to turn to payday lenders to buy vital household equipment if it suddenly broke.

The council will buy white goods and furniture at a lower price, using the furnished tenancies service, which has connections with suppliers.

After customers pick what they want to buy, a representative from Hoot Credit Union will be placed in the shop to discuss providing them with an affordable loan.

Cllr Kate Lewis, cabinet member for Housing and Social Inclusion said she hopes people will choose to visit the new shop instead of places like Bright House where interest on goods ranges between 60 and 95 per cent.

She said: “We are determined to counter poverty across the borough of Bolton and are pleased to have identified a site for our new store.

“We hope that the combination of household goods at low rates and money advice provided by the council, the credit union and its partners will assist people on low incomes with buying goods, without getting into further debt.

“The credit union will not just provide credit to people who are financially excluded or in debt, but is also a safe and ethical place for anyone to save money, so we would encourage any residents looking for a new savings account to come and chat to them.”

The council-owned retail unit is being leased to Bolton At Home, which is arranging sub-leases for Hoot and charity Age UK, who will each have a space to offer their services.

Age UK will offer services related to financial support, insurance and sell mobility aids, while Hoot credit union — which already has a base in Ashburner Street — will have a cash office as it looks to expand its banking services.

The cost of building work and renovations is being met by these companies.

Plans for the new shop were first revealed by The Bolton News in December 2013.