Lifestyle store Oliver Bonas is gearing up to open its new store in Hitchin town centre 'soon.'

As you can see by our Nub News pictures after we exclusively broke the story earlier this summer that the store was coming to Hitchin, shopfitters have been busy preparing the site on Bancroft for the independent British lifestyle store to open this month.

The fashion and homeware store is owned by Oliver Tress, and now boasts more than 80 stores across the UK and Ireland.

Mr Tress, attended Marlborough College and Durham University before founding the store.

Highly-acclaimed Tress opened his first store on the Fulham Road in 1993 with handbags and jewellery he'd brought over from Hong Kong, where his parents lived - and hasn't looked back since.

Mr Tress' store has also received acclaim for becoming the first high-street store to pay its staff the living wage, and has emerged from he cost of living crisis in a far stronger position than many stores on the High Street.

A sign in the window of the former Paperchase shop said: "Sssh. Our little secret. Our newest store opening soon."

Mr Tress also earned vast sympathy from the whole country, after his wife Gina Coladangelo left the successful businessman for disgraced lockdown Tory health minister Matt Hancock.

Nub News has contacted Oliver Bonas press office for more on the official opening date. More when we have it.

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Oliver Bonas store to open in Hitchin town centre 'soon' - find out more. PICTURE: The new Oliver Bonas store on Bancroft snapped on Monday, September 4. CREDIT: Nub News