Department store group Beale will more than double the number of stores under its ownership after acquiring 19 further sites from a co-operative society for a total consideration of £7.5m.JE Beale, the principal trading subsidiary of Beale, will takeover 19 of the 23 department stores currently owned by Anglia Regional Co-operative Society. This will bring its total number to 32, adding around 450,000 square feet of trading space. "This transaction is in line with our strategy to grow the group, secures the future of the acquired stores and marks a step change in the development of Beales," said Beale chief executive officer Tony Brown.Trading in Beale's shares has been suspending pending approval by the UK Listing Authority and publication of a combined circular and prospectus, the group said.---bc