Marks and Spencer this week opened its new food hall in Tonbridge, bringing 60 jobs to the area.

The new store, in Cannon Street, launched today, also featuring a 48 seat café.

It comes after Marks & Spencer announced it would be closing around 30 stores in the UK.

It is not clear yet if any stores in Kent will be affected.

Store Manager, Josh Parkes, who cut the ribbon at the opening, said: “The team and I were really excited to see so many customers as we revealed our new Foodhall.

"We’ve arrived in Tonbridge at a lovely time of year, giving us the opportunity to showcase the amazing festive products we have, helping shoppers to make their Christmas feast extra special.

“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do at M&S and we are eager to make every moment special for them. As we settle into the town over the coming months we’ll be getting stuck into our charity fundraising activity and other local initiatives, with the whole team keen to do our bit for the surrounding community.”

Customers will also be able to collect online orders from the store.