A NEW superstore selling furniture, carpets and electrical products is to be opened on Naas Road in Dublin next Friday by Courts, the £250 million British retailing group with 250 stores in 18 countries around the world.

A Courts spokesman said he believed the 43,000 sq ft superstore would be the largest of its kind in Ireland and, as such, would provide a new shopping experience for Irish consumers. "We think it's a superb store and we are very excited about the opening," he said.

The new store, employing over 100 people, will offer a large range of furniture, carpets and electricals and feature specialist built in bedroom, home study and kitchen furniture. Other superstores will be opened elsewhere in Ireland after the flagship store is established in Dublin.

Courts is the latest in a series of British retail chains to set up in Dublin, attracted by the strength of the economy and the increased purchasing power of the Irish buying public.

Marks & Spencer is currently embarking on a major expansion at the planned Quarryvale centre west of Dublin while multiples such as Argos, Debenhams and Burton are moving into the new Jervis Centre in the heart of Dublin's shopping district.

Details of next Friday's opening were provided yesterday alongside Courts' annual results showing a strong 37 per cent increase in profits to £22.7 million sterling earned on turnover up 13 per cent at £336 million. The profits were nearly £7 million higher than expected, prompting a sharp 33p rise in the Courts share price to 993p.

In Britain, there was only a "marginal" increase in operating profit to £5 million on turnover up nearly 4 per cent at £123 million, partly due to a small reduction in selling space through the closure of five High Street outlets. But most overseas operations performed strongly, with Caribbean stores lifting operating profit by 65 per cent to £10.4 million on turnover up 38 per cent at £69 million.

New outlets were opened in Malaysia and Singapore. However, Pacific/Indian Ocean stores turned in a 52 per cent fall in operating profit to £2.4 million on turnover down 14 per cent at £35 million, hit by changes in the regulatory environment in Fiji and more difficult economic conditions in Papua New Guinea. Total dividend payments are up 15 per cent.