Filmnight to target station sites

DVD sale and rental specialist Filmnight plans to extend its operations to transport hubs around London over the next 12 months.

The opening its first store at Waterloo two weeks ago was close to the launch of the first Silverscreen outlet at Lakeside. Both retailers hope to gain an early advantage as specialists in the fast-growing DVD market.

Filmnight intends to open a second store at Cannon Street station over the coming weeks. 'We'll have three stores trading by Christmas and we'll have a dozen more by this time next year,' said chairman Andrew Bentley, formerly president of international operations at Electrolux.

Filmnight operates by sale or rental of DVDs ordered on the Internet and collected at stores in tube or railway stations.

Other directors include Peter Knee, former head of logistics and distribution at EMI International, investment banker Charlie Butter, Andrew Harvey of Harvey Shopfitters and Filmnight chief executive Mark Evans.

'We're targeting the volume titles in the kiosks and then we'll expand the offer into mail order,' said Bentley.

He said the 100 sq ft (9 sq m) manned Waterloo kiosk is the smallest store the chain would open, but he said all outlets will be in high volume transport hubs.

Bentley said Filmnight's recognition among customers would ultimately leave it well placed to capitalise on the explosion in the broadband market that is expected over the coming years.