A MAJOR online retailer has chosen Chester as the location for a new flagship showroom.

Oak Furniture Land opened up a store at the Greyhound Retail Park today (Friday, November 26).

The latest coup for the Sealand Road retail complex comes after John Lewis announced earlier this month it will be investing £7m in the opening of a John Lewis At Home store next autumn.

Oak Furniture Land – the UK’s largest online retailer of exclusively hardwood furniture – hopes to attract customers from up to a 50 miles away, which in turn will boost trade at the retail park.

General manager Terry King said: “We're thrilled to be opening our next showroom in Chester.

“Although we provide free delivery nationwide many customers still like to come and see the high quality of our furniture firsthand.

“Chester represents a primary location in the North for us and we're delighted to be extending our reach into new regions.

“We look forward to providing a quality service to our customers.”

The two-storey showroom, which contains 13,000 square foot of selling space and an upper mezzanine floor, has over 25 ranges of hardwood furniture on display.

They include a large selection of dining tables, chairs and mattresses. All the furniture is designed and crafted in-house and delivered free of charge.

The opening hours will be 9am-8pm Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm Saturday and 10am-5pm Sunday, with 10-11am viewing only on that day.

The John Lewis At Home store – the first in the north of England – will create about 200 jobs and focus on furniture, electrical and home technology.