Two UK companies bucked the gloomy economic trend yesterday by between them announcing plans to create a total of 8,000 jobs this year.

The lion’s share — 7,000 — will be the result of an expansion by supermarket chain Asda, while the other 1,000 new posts will be with broadcaster BSkyB, which posted a 31% hike in half-year operating profits.

Asda said Northern Ireland would benefit from its growth plans with planning permission being awaited for new stores at Larne, Shore Road in Belfast and Junction One in Antrim.

The company said these three new stores would create 800 new jobs, while a further 30 staff were already being recruited at its Strabane outlet, which is attracting record business from the Republic.

The company said more jobs would be created through ‘organic growth’ such as the roll-out of home shopping throughout Northern Ireland and graduate recruitment.

Announcing the UK-wide plan for 14 new stores and the expansion of 15 existing sites, Asda’s president and chief executive officer Andy Bond said: “This year we will create 7,000 new jobs at a time when many companies are having to lay people off.

“We will also be helping 3,000 long-term unemployed get back into work by specifically targeting them for existing vacancies in our business.

“Our track record of recruiting and retaining people is second to none, which is why we have the lowest turnover and most motivated workforce in British retail.”

BSkyB’s plans for further growth came as the company posted a 31% rise in half-year operating profits.

The group, which also provides broadband and home telephony, said customer growth was 2% year on year following the net addition of 171,000 subscribers in the quarter to December 31, taking its customer base to 9.24 million.

BSkyB said it expected further acceleration in the take-up of its Sky Plus HD service, which combines a personal video recorder with high definition TV.

It has reduced the price of the box to £49 and said anticipated demand meant it would create 1,000 jobs in customer service and installation. Sky said it saw a significant opportunity in HD television.