SHOPPERS turned out in their droves for the opening of a popular Christchurch retailer’s new superstore.

The cutting-edge Purewell Electrical store at Somerford was officially opened by the Mayor of Christchurch, Cllr Denise Jones.

Following the £2million investment in the new premises at Wilverley Road in Somerford, the finished result was unveiled to the public.

As well as electrical goods, the store features the first Sony and Vodafone in-store shops and the largest LG in-store shop in the country.

Next month, the 59-year-old family business, which had moved premises during the recession, will also start a series of cookery demonstrations and classes in its Neff cookery theatre.

Managing director Ian Griffiths said: “I am delighted to be back in a decent-sized store having had to go to a smaller unit to survive the recession.

“It will keep Christchurch alive and mean that people will not have to go too far to buy all the things they need.

“There is a lot of thought that has gone into this.

“We are the first store in the country to have a kitchen theatre and we have also had a huge amount of manufacturer support.

“Retail is not dead. It is about offering the customers what they are looking for.”

The Mayor added: “To those of us who live in Christchurch, Purewell Electrical is very much a household name. We have seen changes along the way and it is an absolute pleasure to see this new store.

“It is really something that we have a got a store independently owned; not just a national conglomerate.

“The extra facilities will be absolutely wonderful for Christchurch.”

A cheque was also presented to Purewell Electrical’s charity of the year, Autism Wessex, by Vodafone for £1,000.