ITS name is synonymous with an Aladdin's Cave of goods, ranging from plugs to jugs.

Now the new owner of homeware chain Robert Dyas has pledged to build on that reputation, along with a successful Christmas trading season, by opening 25 new stores this year.

The retailer - acquired last March by Change Capital Partners in the first deal involving the private equity firm of former Marks & Spencer boss Luc Vandevelde - achieved sales growth of 16 per cent in the 28 days before Christmas.

The £61m takeover was one of the biggest of its kind in the south, and safeguarded 1,000 jobs.

It was seen through by corporate finance experts from professional services firm Tenon at Chandler's Ford.

Robert Dyas has a flagship store next to WestQuay in Southampton. Other regional ones include Eastleigh, Winchester, Fareham, Basingstoke, Salisbury and Waterlooville.

Change Capital wants to increase the number of stores from 85 to 150 by the end of 2007, with 25 outlets due to open in 2005 - slightly ahead of expectations following the £61m takeover.

In the nine months since the deal, Robert Dyas increased sales by 15 per cent and by eight per cent when stripping out the impact of ten new store openings in the last three months of 2004.

The like-for-like increase in December was six per cent, with the figure improving to 16 per cent for the ten days after Christmas Day.

Robert Dyas chief executive Alan Smith said managers had worked hard to maintain the availability of stock in the busy festive period.

He added: "Our performance is well ahead of internal targets, helped by an accelerated store expansion plan. I look forward to building on this early success and to further solidifying Robert Dyas's leading market position."

Mr Smith, who is a veteran of the retail sector after holding senior positions at Somerfield, Victoria Wine and Chandler's Ford based B&Q, said best-selling products ranged from vegetable steamers to wind-up torches.

The Robert Dyas business dates back to 1872 and was sold for £61m in the deal involving Change Capital. It currently has stores as far afield as Stratford-upon-Avon in the north and Bristol in the west.