The much-anticipated opening of The Range at Leamington Shopping Park is coming this Friday (December 1).

After months of work on site the store will welcome in customers from 9am, giving them the chance to peruse the value home, leisure and garden products on offer.

Following The Range's £5 million purchase of the Wilko brand in September, there is also a selection of discounted products from the Wilko range on offer at the new South Warwickshire store.

The new shop has been created by merging two units, previously occupied by Argos and Outfit.

Planning permission for the development was signed off by Warwick District Council earlier this year, and has also seen a new mezzanine floor built - accessible by lift and escalator.

There is also a small outdoor garden centre to the rear, while the store is also ready for Christmas, with a whole festive range taking up much of the upper floor.

Some lucky locals were allowed into the store at 1pm today (November 30) for a 'dry run' to allow the 50 new staff to get to grips with the tills and the new set up.

The Range is also still recruiting for more staff.

Opening hours, according to the company website, will be 9am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and until 4.30pm on Sundays.

The Range opened its first store in Plymouth in 1989 and now has over 200 stores nationwide.

Earlier this year the chain announced it would be opening new stores in Walkden, Chelmsford and Oswestry as well as Leamington Spa.

"All four stores will open with The Range's signature Christmas department, featuring all the trees, lights and decorations shoppers could ever need to get in the festive spirit," a company statement said.

"This batch of openings includes the retailer's new southern flagship located on Chelmsford High Street, this historic unit will house a Range Kitchens showroom and the new Cafe 89 format which combines great value breakfasts and lunches with a conversational town square style eatery."