THE countdown has begun to the opening of the all new Marks & Spencer store in Worcester city centre.

The high-street giant previously had two outlets in the city’s High Street, but after swapping buildings with Woolworths, it is about to unveil one large shop.

Sections of the new shop have already been opened to the public as work has progressed on the project, but it will be completely opened on Wednesday, November 5.

The extensive re-design has created a new home department, a larger cafe, refurbished food hall and more fashion ranges.

Store manager Vicki Poole will cut the ribbon at 9am and invite customers to join the celebration with a complimentary glass of champagne.

She said: “We are delighted to be bringing our latest signature style to our store in Worcester along with some exciting new features. I’m confident that our customers will enjoy their shopping trips even more, especially once everything’s under one roof.”

The project will increase Marks & Spencer’s store size in Worcester from 52,600 sq ft to 65,885 sq ft.

The refurbishment has been carried out in line with Plan A, M&S’ 100-point, five-year ‘eco’ plan.

Lighting with movement sensors will help to save energy and 85 per cent of all construction waste materials will be recycled.