Finishing touches being made in preparation for the opening of The Range in Banbury next week

The Range opens on the old Matalan site next Friday

The store opens its doors to the public at 9am next Friday, April 30 on the site of the old Matalan store in Cherwell Street.

The new store sits over 32,000 sq ft and will employ 80 members of staff in part-time and full-time roles and the company hopes it will make a positive impact on both the local community and economy.

The store and shop-fit teams have been working around the clock to get the store ready for the big reveal.

Some 80 staff have been engaged to work at The Range in Cherwell Street

Painting, sign hanging, stock unloading and till training have been some of the activities going on behind the scenes in preparation for welcoming customers, new and old, from next Friday.

"The new Banbury branch will provide great value products in departments such as home décor and furniture, arts and crafts and textiles alongside everyday essentials from Pet-care and DIY to health products and cleaning supplies," said a spokesman.

In line with current Government guidelines, the new store will have extra safety procedures in place to protect both staff and customers when it opens.

These include social distancing floor markers, sanitising stations at the store entrance and contactless payments where possible.

The Range has over 180 stores across Britain and Ireland.