Marks and Spencer has opened in a much-loved former Kingston department store which had been empty since 2019.

The brand-new food store has given a new lease of life to the building on New Malden High Street, which was home to Tudor Williams for 106 years before it announced its shock closure.

The M&S opened on February 8 to provide customers with a range of food, including fresh produce, meat and freshly-prepared meals, along with frozen and store cupboard essentials.

Customers can find new lower prices in store at the chain's 'Remarksable' lines.

The store has opened on New Malden High Street. (Photo Credit: Charlotte Lilywhite/LDRS)

The new store also boasts a flower shop, bakery and digital click and collect service for buying clothes and home items.

It is managed by company Simply Retail Limited.

M&S said the store has created 20 new jobs in the area and represents a "significant investment in the local economy".

It comes after more than 1,000 people signed a petition from Kingston Independent Cllr Yvonne Tracey last year calling for M&S to move into the high street.

The petition said the high street had been bouncing back since the Covid-19 pandemic, with new venues opening, but that it needed to strengthen its retail offering.

Cllr Tracey launched the petition following the closure of Wilko on the high street in September to "demonstrate the strength of feeling locally" about having a "strong retail offer" in New Malden.

Inside the M and S. (Photo Credit: Marks and Spencers).

Cllr Tracey said, in the petition, that locals had always told her they would love to have an M&S in New Malden.

She said every person who signed the petition would demonstrate that an M&S in the neighbourhood would be "well-used".

The new M&S is open from 7am to 10pm on Mondays to Saturdays, and from 8am to 9pm on Sundays.

Janet Cox, from Simply Retail, said: "The store is an exciting investment in the local area, and we can't wait for our customers to explore all the new features that the store has to offer.

"We're proud to be creating 20 new jobs for people in the local area and the fantastic store team can't wait to meet all our new customers."