DIY CHAIN B&Q is to close as many as 60 stores over the next two years in a shake-up set to impact on 3,000 jobs in the UK and Ireland.

Parent company Kingfisher, which also owns Screwfix, wants to cut about 15 per cent of surplus space through the review of its 360-strong B&Q estate.

Staff at Southampton, Dundee, Baums Lane in Mansfield, Stetchford Road in Birmingham, Hyde in Greater Manchester and Barnsley have been told their stores are closing, but the locations of the other shops have not been disclosed, including the branch in Great Western Way, Swindon.

The company said it believes it can meet local customer needs from fewer stores and stressed that the closures were not in response to signs that Britons are becoming less keen on DIY.

Last year, rival DIY chain Homebase said it would close a quarter of its stores – about 80 outlets – in the period up to early 2018.

Kingfisher said it expects to offset the B&Q jobs impact by opening a similar number of shops at sister business Screwfix and through redeployment of staff.

A spokesperson said: "Kingfisher has said for some time that B&Q UK and Ireland can adequately meet local customer needs from fewer stores and that some of the stores should be smaller."

The changes were announced as the company posted a 7.5 per cent drop in annual profits to £675 million after sales fell by 1.4 per cent to £11 billion in the year to January 31.