Following a recent announcement of the creation of 6,500 Christmas jobs at high street retailer Debenhams, the company’s chief executive Michael Sharp has confirmed it will create 4,050 permanent roles at new stores across the UK and Ireland.

Debenhams reported yesterday that sales increased 4.5% for the year, with profits up for the third year running to £166.1m.

The company has now set its sights on new stores and ‘makeovers’ of existing stores.

Nine new stores will open between now and 2015, in Barnsley, Bradford, Burton-upon-Trent, Chesterfield, Darlington, Hereford and Macclesfield in the UK, and Carlow and Sligo in Ireland.

Sharp said: “This is a strong signal that the UK high street is alive and well and we are backing it 100%.”