Eager shoppers queued for more than three hours for a chance to get their hands on a golden ticket and catch their first glimpse of Norwich's new Asda store.

Eastern Daily Press: Busy aisles full of shoppers at the new Asda on Hall Road. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYBusy aisles full of shoppers at the new Asda on Hall Road. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2015)

The long-awaited store on Hall Road, had people queuing from as early as 6.45am and is the second site for the city. In the lead up to the 10am opening, crowds were entertained with music, treated to tasters and even a clown was on hand to keep the little ones happy.

Cars were guided around the car park by employees and welcomed through the doors by cheerleaders.

The first 100 shoppers through the door were given a golden ticket containing a prize.

Colin Mace, 43, a shopper from Cringleford, said: 'I'm very impressed, but the queues were a bit excessive - that's dedication.' Another visitor, Gloria Evans, 61, from Hall Road, added: 'It is a lovely store and better to have one closer than Drayton Road, it's handy.'

Creating 320 jobs, of which more than 300 are from the local area and others relocated from other stores, the large click and collect centres solidifies the fact the shopping destination has been 'designed for the future of online shopping'.

David Lennox, store manager, said: 'Our click and collect service is bigger than the Drayton store and we have solar panels on the roof making us highly efficient.

'The architecture is great. We are build on the old Bally shoe factory and that holds a lot of history for people in the area.

The Hall Road site is part of a new £100m plus development which includes an in-store restaurant, will be accompanied on the site by a gym, eight retail units, and three business units, all of which are expected to be open by March 2016.

- What do you think of the new Asda store? Email jemma.walker@archant.co.uk