An Ilford department store will shut it doors for four days ahead of a a massive £4million stock clearance sale.

Last year, Bodgers, in Station Road, Ilford, held its first “grand sale” selling £3m of products, such as clothing, electrical appliances and furniture, and it was such a success the business is now raising the stakes.

Store manager Rai Holdstock said: “Last year it went phenomenally well, we had queues on the first few days which ran all the way down the road.

“At one point we had to close the store because it was a danger to let more people in.”

He pledged discounts in the sale, due to start on February 12, will be up to 75 per cent off.

After the four-day super stock up, the sale will last for a week before closing for a day to replenish shelves, before running for another week.

If anything is left at that point, Rai said there will be greater reductions for the “finale”.

Mr Holdstock revealed some of the secrets to the scheme’s success.

“It works very well at bringing in money. What it does is it actually gets the public asking ‘what’s going on at the store?’

“It creates a particular level of atmosphere.”

He added that it exploits an otherwise quiet period of the year to boost revenue levels.

“We want customers that don’t normally shop here to be introduced to the business.”

Last year, he said, a strong proportion of the super-sale footfall was new custom.

The period is too busy for normal staffing levels so Mr Holdstock must bring in employees from other stores in the group.

The staff appreciate having the overtime, he added, “so we win all round”.