THE new Marks & Spencer food hall is open. More than 50 customers were waiting outside the Route Carre, St Sampson’s, store when it was officially opened at 10am yesterday.

‘We’re absolutely delighted,’ said Tony Creasey, managing director of Creaseys, which operates the M&S franchise.

‘It was only this time last year we were approached with the possibility of acquiring the site, months after opening at St Martin’s.

‘We realised that the site had huge potential in terms of location and now we’ve reached the first day of trading.’

The former St David’s building has undergone a 10-week programme to convert it into a food store.

‘It has a fairly low ceiling, so there were a few design issues, but everyone has done a fantastic job in creating a modern food store.’

At 6,000sq.ft it is the biggest of the island’s three Marks & Spencer food halls and features a bakery and flower, magazine and newspaper stalls.

To celebrate the opening yesterday, shoppers were given balloons on arrival and there was a chocolate fountain for them.

States gardener Phil Merrien, 40, was one of the first through the checkout yesterday morning after buying some custard tarts.

‘It’s very nice,’ said Mr Merrien.

‘We use the St Martin’s one but this is a lot bigger. It’s really handy and is only a couple of minutes away from where I live.’

Nurse Christine Brassell, 38, said that the new food store was very convenient.

‘It’s nice and there’s lots of choice,’ she said.

*n The store was opened by Cancer Research local branch committee member Bernadette Jenkinson.

Specially commissioned trolley park tokens were given to customers who were encouraged to make a donation to Cancer Research.