Pawnbroker Albemarle & Bond is plotting more stores as cash-strapped consumers helped pre-tax profits soar 75% to £10.8m.

Albemarle & Bond said it will open at least 15 stores in its financial year to June 30 with 25 more stores planned next year.

It has also been trialling nine pop-up shops for gold buying and will open six more before the end of June.

Chief executive Barry Stevenson said: “I can see no economic clouds on the horizon,” adding that it expects the company to meet market expectations.

“The results are a continuation of a long record of profit growth for the business,” Stevenson said.