DISCOUNT chain Thingmebobs, which has shops in March and Ely, has been taken over by Norwich retailer QD Stores.

DISCOUNT chain Thingmebobs, which has shops in March and Ely, has been taken over by Norwich retailer QD Stores.

The stores will continue to operate under the Thingmebobs brand, with no redundancies planned among the company’s 100-plus staff.

Thingmebobs co-founder Colin Lawrence will take on a senior management role within QD.

QD Stores group managing director Justin Farrington Smith said: “This deal takes our group into market towns we have long aspired to attain a presence in.

“Thingmebobs offers quality, value products from established outlets staffed by a committed, long-serving workforce, making this acquisition a natural fit with tremendous mutual synergy.”

Thingmebobs, which has annual turnover of about �6.5million, is based at Ingham, near Bury St Edmunds, and operates 10 stores.