A COMPANY which has transferred from Lytham St Annes to Kearsley plans future expansion.

Booth Imperial Ltd has left the Fylde coast and moved into offices and stores in Bolton Road.

The business was founded in Lytham St Annes in 1960 as Kerr-Shaw Ltd to install air-conditioning in computer rooms in the north Lancashire area.

In 1972 the company took over Refrigeration Depot Ltd, a company which had been providing a refrigeration service to small hotels and restaurants in the Blackpool area since the mid-30s.

The company, which changed its name at the time to Imperial Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Ltd, was acquired in 1990 by Booth Group Ltd -- an engineering group also based in Lytham -- and became Booth Imperial Ltd.

It expanded its activities, undertaking service work on refrigerated equipment throughout the North-west and Yorkshire.

When John Calvin-Thomas was recruited as director and general manager there was a substantial upturn in the company's air-conditioning contracting department.

Two years ago Booth Imperial was demerged from the Booth Group but continued to use its premises in Lytham. Mr Calvin-Thomas said: "However, with the type and location of the work being undertaken, the board felt it was not best located at the far end of the M55 and sought premises more central to its operations."

"It was delighted to find ideally situated offices and stores close to the motorway network and in an area where it should have better opportunities to find the technical staff needed to help fulfil its plans for further expansion."

The company employs about 35 people and expects to take on more people in the future.

"We are intending to grow now that we are here," Mr Calvin-Thomas said.