A new chain is to take on an empty store which had been home to Canterbury Beds for 23 years.

In what has been a fast-paced turnaround since the closure of the previous firm in April, another bed specialist moved quickly to secure the tenancy and the business is now ready to launch.

Sussex Beds, which opened its fourth Kent branch in Ashford earlier this year, will be launching its new store on the Wincheap Industrial Estate next month.

The date pencilled in for the grand opening is Saturday, September 4.

An 'up to half price' sale on variety of beds, frames and mattresses will run for the first month, until the start of October.

Steve Pickering, managing director of Sussex Beds, said “We are excited that the opportunity has arrived for us to expand into Canterbury while being able to maintain the local, family feel that the previous store had.

"It’s a great achievement for us to be able to open our 12th store under all the turmoil of the last 18 months.

“We will be running a social media competition to celebrate the opening of the store where a lucky person will win two Gel Essence pillows and a chocolate hamper from Hotel Chocolat worth more than £200.

"We look forward to welcoming all customers and showing them our lovely new store.”

The former occupier of the premises, Canterbury Beds, shut in the spring after owner Lenny Crow decided to retire.

Speaking at the time, he said: “I’ve basically been in furniture all of my life.

“It’s heartbreaking to do this, but I am 70 years-old this year.

“The knees have gone, the back’s sore and the brain isn’t what it used to be."

Canterbury Beds moved onto the industrial estate in 1998, having previously run the business under a different name in Margate and then elsewhere in the city centre.

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