A LONG-AWAITED new Boyes store has opened in Acomb today, creating more than 20 new jobs. 

Boyes, whose head quarters are in Scarborough, opened its new shop  after purchasing three retail units in Front Street.

Following the sale of the building, which was previously home to Bon Marche, Superdrug and Jonathan James, Boyes has invested in a major refurbishment, knocking the three shops into one large store.

The store is the 54th in Boyes' portfolio, which dates back more than 130 years, and the second in York, joining the brand's Goodramgate branch.

It is the first of many planned new openings for Boyes this year, following the creation of five new stores in 2014, and has created 23 new jobs.

Boyes director Robert Van der Heijden said: "We are really excited about the new store, especially as we have traded in York for a long time.

"The reaction from the public has been huge. We always get a fabulous reaction to new stores, but here it has been so warm and wonderful as we are already well known here.

"We knew about the property, and thought we would trade well in the area having such a good reputation in York.

"We were going to rent two of the three units, but in the end made an offer to buy the whole building, which was accepted, so we bought the whole lot.

"We knocked it all through into one store, making an investment and a commitment to Acomb. I think local shoppers will be quite surprised when they come in and see how it looks; we are certainly very pleased with it."

Mr Van der Heijden said the company had invested "hundreds of thousands of pounds" in the new Acomb store, which following new openings in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Hull.

The Boyes brand began in 1881 when William Boyes opened a small store in Eastborough in Scarborough, selling remnants from merchants.

Business soon grew and in 1906 the expansion of the company started with the opening of a store in York in Ouse Bridge, from where Boyes traded until moving to Goodramgate in 1987.

Customers warmly welcomed the opening of the new store in Acomb today.

Daisy Pickering, 20, said: "It’s better than the one in York. There is more variety, especially for toiletries and baby stuff, which is what I just bought.”

Di Molley, 57, said: "It’s a real plus for the community, and I think it’s a good boost for Acomb, and it has provided a few jobs for people here.

"It’s good value for money, and there is enough variety to suit all purses. I’m sure it will do very well and I will be visiting the shop on a regular basis.”

"It’s impressive," said Michael Yockney, aged 79. "We used to go to the one in York but it’s a bit out of our way."

"They will do very well here,” added Ann Yockney, 78. “It’s cheap and there is a very good range of stuff. It’s also one of the few places which always has fabric."

David Hoole, 53, said: "Acomb has been short of a shop like this for quite a while and it already looks like it’s trading very well."