Former furnishing store Clarkes in Maidstone is back up and running under a new name following a major refurbishment.

Clarkes, which operated in the County Town for more than 90 years, had been taken over in 2007 by Canterbury firm Lenleys.

Earlier this year it decided to rebrand and revamp the store, closing in March for work to take place.

Now Lenleys Home has opened the doors to customers at the Sandling Road site.

Among the work taking place has been repairs to to roof and a new range of stock and displays.

Further works are planned for the autumn, subject to planning approval, including a new look for the front entrance.

Lavinia Watts, partner with Lenleys Home and the third generation of the Watts family to manage the 86-year-old Kent business, said: “It was the right time for a significant refurbishment, and we hope our customers love the results as much as we do.

“This is only the first phase of the transformation with external building works to refresh the appearance of the building starting, we hope, in September, subject to planning approval from the local council.”

The refurbishment in Maidstone comes hot on the heels of the changes made to Lenleys Home Canterbury. Several new ranges were added to the shop floor last year, along with a new flooring design showroom.

The original founders of Lenleys, Leonard Watts and Stanley Adsett were both from Maidstone and the family had a long-held desire to have a store in the area. They opened Lenleys in Canterbury in 1936, with the two men tossing a coin to decide which blend of their names – Lenleys or Stannards –would give the store its name.