French sporting goods giant Decathlon is set to create 60 jobs when it opens its first store in Northern Ireland later this year.

The 40,000 sq ft store will throw open its doors in May at the Holywood Exchange retail park in Belfast.

The park, which is owned by Axa Investment Managers, has over 630,000 sq ft of retail space. Tenants include Ikea, B&Q, Sainsbury’s, Next and Harvey Norman. Work on a 10,000 sq ft restaurant will also begin later this year.

Decathlon was founded in Lille in 1976 and now has 450 stores around the world.

Duncan Mathieson, managing director of Realis Estates, which asset manages Holywood Exchange for Axa Investment Managers, said: “This is yet another landmark deal for Holywood Exchange. We were chosen as the location for the very first Ikea in Northern Ireland in 2008 and now Decathlon has also picked the scheme for its debut store.

“The arrival of Decathlon will further strengthen the tenant line-up at Holywood Exchange and coincides with the opening of a new catering offer that will help boost dwell time and spend at the scheme”.

Babar Ahmad, expansion manager at Decathlon UK, said: “Decathlon is very pleased to have signed up for Holywood Exchange, Belfast.”