DAWLISH'S new Co-op is now up and running after its £500,000 refit.

Two new jobs have already been created with the introduction of a home delivery service and bosses say when they assess how the store, which has almost doubled in size, is performing, there may be additional staff needed.

A team of more than 30 workers took 59 days to transform the existing store in The Strand and expand into the former Woolworths building next door.

One of the biggest parts of the scheme was to lay a completely new floor throughout the whole store.

The new look store features 1,500 new lines, many of them fresh food, a cashpoint, cards and gift wrap and extended bakery.

Operations manager Rick Rickard is delighted with the new store.

He said: 'There is a lot more choice for customers, new lighting, new flooring.

'It's a huge transformation.

'We are extremely pleased with the finished result and hope customers will be too.'

He explained that the home delivery service had been introduced as a result of requests from the Chamber of Commerce.

Previously, the store had limited parking, only reached at the top of the store by a lift so the new service will make it easier for customers to use the store for larger amounts of shopping.

Mr Rickard said: 'The chamber asked me to explore it and we did.

'There are a lot of older people in Dawlish who will benefit from the service.'

He added that the Co-op investment came as plans are moving forward to regenerate the town centre with proposals to pedestrianise The Strand due to go out to further consultation.

Youngsters from Gatehouse and Westcliff primary schools have been hard at work creating murals which represent the summer in Dawlish.