A popular arts and crafts store is set to open its newest branch at a south Essex retail park.

Hobbycraft, the UK’s largest arts and crafts retailer, is opening the new shop based at Lakeside Retail Park, Thurrock, on Tuesday September 12.

To celebrate, Hobbycraft is also hosting a grand opening event on Saturday September 16 at 9am, with product offers and exciting activities, including free goody bags for the first 100 customers and live crafting demonstrations throughout the day.

The new store will offer customers the Hobbycraft's extensive range of crafting products from baking, home craft, papercraft, knitting, sewing, kids’ crafts and model making to accessories for weddings, celebrations and much more.

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A dozen new jobs have been created as a result of the opening. The new Hobbycraft colleagues will be on hand to provide their crafting expertise, with some of the team including Cameron for sewing, Amelia for crochet, Shika for art and Nicola for cricut.

Gina Ford, manager of the new store, commented: “We are really looking forward to opening the doors to our Lakeside store and sharing our passion for arts and crafts with the local community.

“Over the last few years, we have seen more people than ever take up crafting and we want to encourage locals to come down to the new store and share their crafting experience.

“We look forward to providing Thurrock customers with the ultimate retail experience, combined with fantastic crafting products at great prices.”

For more information, visit the new Hobbycraft store at Unit A2B, Lakeside Retail Park, West Thurrock, from August 1, or go to the website www.hobbycraft.co.uk. The new Lakeside store will be open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 7pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm.