99p Stores is gunning to double the size of its business and has secured a £20m extended banking facility with Barclays Corporate as its first two Irish stores open today.

The first two Irish stores, called €uro 50 Stores, opening in Dublin this morning and a second in Balbriggan is due to open later this month. A further 20 openings are planning in the next year.

The banking facility will support the opening of between 40-50 shops a year across the group, the first of which have already opening in Letchworth, Stowmarket, Swindon, Weston-Super-Mare, Yeovil, Bishops Stortford and Colchester.

Rival Poundland is also opening in Ireland in October under the fascia Dealz.