A MONTH after a popular department store’s food hall was relaunched, and the manager says business is booming.

As The Press previously reported, the new food hall at M&S Vangarde at Monks Cross opened last month with several new features including an in-store bakery, bread and cake department, a new wine shop, a bigger-than-ever cheese range, and a new ‘Fill Your Own’ section.

The foodhall is now a third bigger and the store was one of the first in the country to be selected for the makeover due to its existing popularity with customers.

Store manager Claire Smith said the new look is proving incredibly popular too.

“Since it has been finished we have never had a quiet day.

“Our foodhall was always a busy foodhall and we wanted to grow it to keep up with customer demand. We’ve been getting great feedback from the customers - the people of York seem to love it and we’re getting people coming from as far away as Hull to try it out,” said Claire.

“Customers now have the option to scan and shop as they go round the store and we have interactive stations with five big push buttons for children to use at different points as you go round.”

Claire said the closure of John Lewis nearby does not seem to have affected the store.

She said: “We have fortunately carried on trading brilliantly throughout the pandemic, our customers have been very loyal.”

There is also a My Sushi concession close to the entrance on the Community Stadium side of the shop and an emphasis on fresh produce like never before including a coffee station where you can grind your own beans.

There is also a rotisserie wall selling freshly roasted British chickens for £5.