OWNERS of the new Selsdon shopping venture Smallworths say they were overwhelmed by the support shown when the store opened its doors on Tuesday.

Around 40 people queued outside the former Woolworths store in Addington Road as Ken Holdway and Asad Khan unlocked the doors with a minimum of ceremony.

And within a few minutes of opening, the shop was packed with customers with many of them, to the owners' delight, heading for the tills with full shopping baskets.

"It all seems a bit unreal now that we have finally opened," Mr Khan said.

Mr Holdway added: "I didn't expect this many people to turn up. It has gone really well.

"The response has been very good from the beginning and if I had a pound for every time somebody said how much they liked the idea I would be a very rich man."

Both Mr Holdway and Mr Khan are former Woolworths managers and have been working towards the opening day since going into partnership a year ago.

Their aim has been to bring their knowledge of the Woolworths shopping experience to Smallworths.

The store is very much modelled on the former Woolworths set up and carries a range of stock which mirrors the former chain's most popular lines.

These include DVDs, CDs, children's clothing, household goods, decorating materials, toys and, of course, pick and mix sweets.

Mr Holdway said: "We had been hoping to open a week ago but we put it off rather than open when we were not fully ready.

"We need a bit of luck now but we are very hopeful we can keep things going."

The first customers were giving the store an enthusiastic welcome on Tuesday.

Muriel Loveland, of Briton Hill Road, Sanderstead, said: "Woolworths was a very good shop and, if this is anything like it, it is going to be very popular and welcomed by people.

"I am sure it will bring a lot more people into the shopping centre."

Sheila Keen, of Wren Close, Selsdon, said: "I was surprised that there were so many customers here for the opening but then I was awake at two this morning thinking about getting down here to be first in the queue.

"How sad is that?

"I think the shop is great and I shall be coming in here a lot.

"It is so much better than seeing it empty like it was before."

The new store is employing ten people but the number is expected to increase in the run up to Christmas.

The Selsdon Woolworths branch closed 18 months ago.