CHARD’s newest store is celebrating a record-breaking opening day after it launched at the weekend.

Poundstretcher opened on Saturday with a fun day and a ribbon cutting event with the town crier Stuart Cumming and mayor Cllr Garry Shortland.

The first day for the Chard shop saw the chain set a new Poundstretcher record for a branch’s opening day takings.

John Woods, area manager, said: “We have had a couple of openings recently and this was the best supported by the community.

“I was very impressed with the mayor and the town crier. They really got the crowd going.

“It was a record-breaking day, beating all opening day sales by Poundstretcher stores.

“I thought it would be busy to start with, but it really stayed busy. I thought we had the whole of Chard come in.”

The new Poundstretcher opened in the former Co-operative Food premises, which has been empty since the chain left the town in February.

Mr Woods said: “We are really pleased to be in Chard and I was excited about the opening.

“The reason we have come to Chard is because we are looking to expand.

“We are planning to open 80 new stores by March next year, and that push has been going since June.

“I know the area and I personally think it is very good for Chard. At the minute we have recruited about 16 members of staff from the local area.

“I think we can really benefit the area with the products we sell, and we can save people from having to travel to the likes of Taunton and Exeter.”

The arrival of Poundstretcher follows the opening of Costa on the corner of Fore Street and Boden Street last year. A new branch of Peacocks also opened in September.

Cllr Shortland said: “It was really good to see some people had been there since 5am waiting for it to open. It was almost reminiscent of sales in London high streets.

“Once word is out that it’s there, it should attract people from Honiton and other areas into Chard.”