EAGER shoppers flocked to the new Banbury Gateway shopping centre on Thursday as the first store opened its doors.

Customers queued from 8.30am to check out the Acorn Way development.

First to open was clothing store Outfit – other shops should be ready by the end of the month.

Outfit stocks a range of fashion from Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Wallis, Burton and Dorothy Perkins.

Free £20 gift vouchers were given out to the first 50 people in the queue.

At the front was student Kirsty Sole, from Banbury, who said: “I wanted to arrive earl and get my free £20 voucher. I love Miss Selfridge I’m so glad Banbury has finally got one.”

On October 28, seven new stores will open, including River Island, Poundland, Carphone Warehouse, EE, Mountain Warehouse, Starbucks and McDonald’s. The following day Marks & Spencer will unveil its new 100,000 sq ft store featuring fashion, home and food.

The centre’s new website, banburygateway.co.uk, will be live from Monday.