The first store at the new Epping Forest Shopping Park is set to open its doors next weekend.

Hobbycraft will launch its new branch at the new £14 million retail park in Langston Road, Loughton, on Saturday, August 5.

The shop, which has created 20 new jobs, will be offering the first 100 customers through the door on its first day a free goody bag to celebrate the occasion.

Store manager, Kirsty Robinson, said: “We can’t wait to open the doors to our Epping Forest store and share our passion for arts and crafts with the community in August.

“We have been working really hard to ensure that the store will be packed full of the most exciting crafting products, which will help our customers create some fantastic artistic projects.”

Plans for the new shopping park were first given the green light by Epping Forest Council in July last year and construction work on the project started two months later.

Brands such as TK Maxx, Aldi, Next, Smyths Toys and Mothercare have also signed up to take on space at the park.

Remaining shops are expected to open gradually between now and the end of the year.