Variety store group Hub expects homewares and cooking to be bestsellers this Christmas.

Hub, which was launched by Poundland co-founder Dave Dodd, opened its second store - covering 12,500 sq ft - in Manchester’s Arndale Centre (pictured) earlier this month, after debuting in Telford on September 2 in a 9,500 sq ft store.

Dodd said that both shops were “trading very well” and said the retailer had “the potential for substantial growth”.