Crowds flock to new store

More than 1,000 shoppers poured through the doors of Debenhams in Kidderminster on its first day of trading.

There were around 100 shoppers in the first hour alone to the town's £60million Weavers Wharf flagship department store which has been welcomed as a boost for the town after Woolworths and Littlewoods were lost.

Town centre leaders hope the new addition will help to attract more national chains to Kidderminster.

Chairman of the town centre partnership Peter Picken welcomed Debenhams and said he hoped it would act as a catalyst for further retailers to move to the town.

Crowds started gathering outside the department store an hour before it opened its doors at 9am yesterday. Bosses said they were "delighted" with the response from shoppers and are expecting similar crowds when the store's sale starts on Tuesday.

Debenhams spokeswoman Suzi Burns said: "The response has been really positive. We had well over a thousand people visit the store yesterday, which was above our target."

The store is part of the historic Grade II listed former carpet mill known as Slingfield Mill. Around 60 staff were working tirelessly over recent weeks to get the department store ready for its grand opening.

Mayor of Kidderminster Councillor Howard Martin was invited to cut the ribbon and said he hoped Debenhams would help the town to attract more national chains.

Chairman of the town centre partnership Peter Picken had said he believed the Debenhams store would be a "massive boost".

The scheme has involved a £500,000 refurbishment of the later 1800s building and work was specifically done to be in keeping with the character of the building.

The department store, which already has stores in Worcester and Redditch, has signed a 15-year lease with the buildings owners Henderson Global Investors.