WORK has begun on a multi-million pound refurbishment of one of Canterbury's department stores.

Debenhams, in the heart of the city, is undergoing a huge refit that will see 95 per cent of the store revamped. Considerable attention is being paid to unveiling and preserving their heritage too.

Manager Peter Moore said: "We have a fabulous location right in the heart of the city. We are modernising on the inside, improving things for our customers.

"It's part of a rolling programme for the company but Canterbury is bigger and more complex because we are preserving and protecting the historical aspects of the buildings too."

The improvements include new cosmetic departments and a beauty salon and extended ranges of mens and womens fashions, particularly designer ranges, in the main building.

There will be a new ground floor restaurant with internet access for customers overlooking the Buttermarket and a store dedicated to children in the Sun Street building.

A sound and vision department and a lighting department will be introduced into the home building.

Access is to be improved in all buildings with the installation of lifts and ramps.

The original polished oak shop front that faced onto the Buttermarket when the store housed Lefevre is to be restored, as are the Kent peg tiles to the Guildhall Street building.

Inside the main building stained glass windows are being uncovered and made a feature of, as are timbers believed to date from 15th century French warships.

It is hoped the new look store will be unveiled in October. Mr Moore said: "We are working through the night to keep disruption to a minimum for our customers and other city centre users.

"We want to be finished in time for our peak shopping period leading up to Christmas."