Crowds of shoppers and staff at Norwich's Marks and Spencer gathered to celebrate the store's official unveiling of its brand new look today.

Crowds of shoppers and staff at Norwich's Marks and Spencer gathered to celebrate the store's official unveiling of its brand new look.

After 18 months of extensive redevelopment, store manager Andy Barber officially declared the revamped store open today during a ribbon cutting ceremony full of cheers from the crowds and where people toasted the store's new look with champagne.

As the shop began its day's trading, Mr Barber said it was a very proud moment for the Rampant Horse Street store.

He said: 'We're delighted to have unveiled our fully extended and modernised store and glad that shoppers can now benefit from the improvements.'

He added: 'It makes me feel proud. The staff have done an amazing job and the public have been very loyal throughout all of the disruption, and I am pleased they can now all enjoy the new-look store.'

Throughout the day customers were offered glasses of champagne and were able to enjoy lots of celebratory entertainment including cookery demonstrations and food tasting, fashion shows and personal shoppers. There was also a DJ in the store and shoppers had the chance to win M&S gift cards.

Mr Barber said: 'It has been a fantastic day. We were really busy and had lots of interest from people. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed the celebrations.'

The changes have made the Norwich store second only to the Marks and Spencer store in Marble Arch, London, in terms of real estate.

The new-look store features a new glass-fronted extension and a 'living wall' which runs alongside the store up towards Chapelfield Shopping Centre.

There are new and improved layouts across womenswear, menswear, homeware, food, lingerie and kidswear.

There is a new M&S Kitchen restaurant and an extended M&S Caf�. The revamped Food Hall now features more than 1,500 new food and drink products, and there is also a new bakery and a Hot Food on the Move counter.

• Do you have a story for the Evening News? Call reporter Emma Knights on 01603 772428 or email emma.knights@archant.co.uk