Planned Ikea order and collection point to create 30 Birmingham jobs

The service will be located at Dale End and is due to launch this summer.

Birmingham will be the first city centre to get a store of this kind, a new concept for IKEA. Currently Midland shoppers have the major IKEA store in Wednesbury - bosses say the new collection point will complement the Black Country store.

Customers will be able to order from the service for home delivery or for collection and will also be able to visit the in-store bistro.

The unit will be housed in the site previously occupied by Toys 'R' Us, which has a multi-storey car park above it and convenient car parking and specific collections bays will be available for those who want to explore the unit's unique drive-in collection service.

IKEA order and collection development manager, Jack Jackson said: "We are really excited to be bringing this unique new format to Birmingham, our first Order and Collection Point based in a city Centre location.

"With less than five minutes from the three main rail stations and close to regional bus network hubs we want to make our products and services available to more people.

"By introducing an Order and Collection Point in this market we want to bridge the gap between online and in-store shopping and offer customers a new way to shop with IKEA."

Dale End is also an area of high footfall, due to its proximity to Bullring and the Colmore Business District.

Recruitment for the team of 30 workers has now begun, with the shop acting primarily as a studio to plan and order more complex purchases such as kitchens, wardrobes and sofas, as well as featuring room set to provide ideas for the home.

As part of its expansion plans to make IKEA more accessible, the company is testing a number of similar Order and Collection Points across the UK. The first Order and Collection Point opened in Norwich in November last year and the second one is scheduled to open in Aberdeen on May 12.