New Klass Clothing ladies fashion store given grand launch today at Fleetwood's Affinity retail site

Ladies fashion chain Klass Clothing has opened a gleaming new store on the shopping site, previously known as Freeport Fleetwood, as its previous outlet on the retail park had to close to make way for a proposed new garden centre.

The new store, with a complete re-design, had a ‘soft launch’ on Tuesday (December 6), before the grand launch today (Friday December 9).

Staff have put up balloons and banners and the store has a scratch card promotion offering a variety of discounts on purchases – from 10 per cent up to 50 per cent for the top prize – running until close of trade on Sunday.

The new store includes the seven staff members who were at the former outlet, which is opposite the new one and closed this week.

Val Latimer, manager of the Klass store, said: “Even though it is close to where our old store was, this is a brand new shop.

"It's fabulous, very modern and on-trend, with lovely white fixtures and foliage, and very much an upmarket vibe to it.

"There’s been a lot of interest all week and today has been very busy already.

"Our scratch card deal has gone down very well with the customers.”

Klass opened its first store on the Fleetwood site five years ago and it proved a hit with shoppers.

The company has been retailing for more than 30 years and its headquarters are based in Rochdale.

A fashion retailer and clothing manufacturer, the chain now has more than 160 stores, including standalone and concessions, throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Its stores sell contemporary, modern dresses, tops, blouses, knitwear, cardigans, coats and jackets, among other items, in a wide range of sizes, as well as jewelry.

There is also a smaller Klass outlet at the Burnside Garden Centre in Thornton.

A spokesman for Affinity said it was hoped the proposed garden centre would be ready to open its doors by Easter 2023, with further details to be revealed in the coming weeks.