FASHION chain H&M has revealed it is to open in Poole’s Dolphin Shopping Centre – but won’t say in which unit.

The Swedish-based retailer announced that it would be taking on a 2,700 square metre unit in the centre, with work to begin in February 2018.

But it declined to say which site it had signed a lease on.

The centre has a selection of empty shop units, including the key site occupied by BHS until the company’s collapse last year.

Carlos Duarte, H&M’s country manager for UK and Ireland, said: “We are excited to begin work on a brand new store at the Dolphin Shopping Centre in 2018. This location is a fantastic opportunity for the H&M brand to expand its portfolio and introduce our fashion offering to new customers.”

H&M already has stores at Castlepoint and on Bournemouth’s Commercial Road.

It was founded in Sweden in 1947 and opened its first UK store in 1976. Today, it has more than 260 stores in the UK and Ireland.

Customers at the Dolphin centre yesterday welcomed the news that H&M was being added to its line-up of shops.

Sue Jacobsen, from Poole, said: “It will be great to have an H&M in the centre.

“They sell a lot of stuff I like and I’ll always pop into the one in Bournemouth.

“Hopefully this will mean more people coming to Poole.”

Shopper Charlotte Sawyer said: “The Dolphin Centre has lost a couple of outlets recently, and people are still going on about the loss of McDonald’s and Burger King in the town centre. I look forward to H&M opening.”

The Dolphin Shopping Centre has also declined to say which unit will be occupied by H&M. It plans to release the news as part of a wider announcement in the coming weeks.

In June, the Dolphin centre announced a £26million overhaul which it hoped would lead to more shops and restaurants signing up.

An 18-month improvement programme by owner Legal & General is due to run until the end of 2018.

The centre subsequently announced that Empire Cinemas wants to open a nine-screen multiplex cinema on the site of the former Argos store and adjoining units.

H&M’s announcement of its Poole opening also drew attention to its garment collecting service, reducing the volume of clothes sent to landfill by collecting unwanted textiles from any brand.