Oliver Bonas has finally taken over a former Topshop.

The long-awaited arrival of the lifestyle retailer in Whitefriars, Canterbury, comes as popular clothing store Lucy and Yak eyes up a spot in the city too.

The Oliver Bonas store is now the largest branch in Kent and forms part of its 80-strong shopfronts across the UK and Ireland.

Oliver Tress, founder at Oliver Bonas, said: “We’re thrilled to open our newest store in Canterbury, a city rich in history and culture. As our largest store in Kent, this location allows us to offer an even greater selection and experience to the local community.

“We’re excited to become a part of Canterbury’s vibrant landscape and look forward to welcoming everyone through our doors.”

Lucy and Yak, best known for its dungarees which went viral during the pandemic, are advertising jobs online for their “new Canterbury store”.

Job listings include a store manager and sales assistants, and anticipate a start date of October, although this has not been confirmed.

The clothing company has ten units in the UK, including two in Brighton, but this would be the first in Kent.

Lucy and Yak’s website gives the Canterbury store address as Gravel Walk, where the Whitefriars shopping centre is based.

The Whitefriars area has seen businesses come and go frequently with big units such as Topshop empty for more than two years.

However bosses at the centre are understood to be quietly optimistic about seeing all of the units let out on long-term leases, in what would be a major boost for the city centre.

All of the sites in Whitefriars are currently owned by the council following its controversial £155 million acquisition in 2018.

Meanwhile, works to renovate the authority’s new home are “progressing well,” according to the council.

It will share part of the space with Oliver Bonas after deeming its old home in Military Road to be too big and expensive to run.

Lucy and Yak and Whitefriars have been contacted for comment.