THE Tory’s hopeful for Hyndburn has hailed the arrival of Sports Direct to Accrington.

Kevin Horkin visited the Broadway shop during an electoral walk-about at the weekend.

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The businessman, who hopes to usurp Labour’s Graham Jones in May, said: “It is really good practice to formally introduce new stores and businesses officially to an area – particularly major retailers that have taken the trouble to invest in premises in our town centres.

“Getting anchor stores to actually move into an area is becoming the exception rather than the rule these days.”

Mr Horkin said he was in the process of writing a report called Helping Hyndburn’s High Streets.

He added: “It has been obvious for some time that High Street Retailers in the town centre, particularly newly-established businesses would benefit from improved local knowledge and insight about trading in the area.”

Sports Direct, which was founded by Newcastle United’s multi-millionaire owner Mike Ashley, has been criticised for its use of zero-hour contracts, which do not offer any guaranteed hours of work.