MORE than 50 jobs have been created with the opening of a new sports shop in Oxford.

Sports Direct is the second sports retailer to set up at the revamped Seacourt Retail Park, at Botley, following in the footsteps of French company Decathlon, which opened last month.

And agents say they are in talks with another as yet unnamed firm concerning occupation of the third unit in the former Habitat/Allied Carpets building, with an announcement due “shortly.”

Eric Hall, director of agents TDH Estates, said: “We are very pleased with how much the block has improved visually.”

Mr Hall added that it had been planned to redevelop the site occupied by Homebase at the same time but the DIY retailer had decided to stay for a further two years until its lease ran out.

It will now form part of a “phase two” development along with the BP petrol station which will be redeveloped at the same time.

The retail park is owned by the British Airways Pension Trust, with work starting on the £15m revamp of the site last December.

The 8,250 sq ft store is Sport Direct’s third in the city — it already has stores in the Westgate Centre in the city centre and at Cowley Retail Park.

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