Søstrene Grene opens in Welwyn Garden City at Howard Centre

Queues stretched out of the Howard Centre as shoppers waited to browse the Danish brand’s homeware, kitchenware, arts, crafts and teas.

Store manager Ieva cut the ribbon to officially open the store - which has taken over Units 23a, 24, 25 - as shoppers flooded in and collected their Søstrene Grene tote bags.

Shoppers flocked to Søstrene Grene this morning, with queues out the door of the Howard Centre.

Søstrene Grene's Welwyn Garden City store manager Ieva.

The Danish lifestyle brand has taken over Units 23a, 24, 25 of the Howard Centre.

"I've only worked for Søstrene Grene for about a month actually," Ieva admitted to the Welwyn Hatfield Times.

"I've been a fan of the company for a while and then I managed to get my foot in the door finally and I'm glad to be part of it."

Ieva believes Howard Centre store - Søstrene Grene's third biggest site in the UK - will be a big success, continuing: "It's nice that we are the first thing you see as you walk in.

“Hopefully it will be a bit of a wow for people coming to the Howard Centre. I think the store will be very popular.”

"I'd like to think that out and about shopping will come in and check us out. Søstrene Grene is a shop where anyone can come in and find something that they might like because we've got such a wide variety of products.

The store offers a selection of sweets as you finish off your shopping trip.

"I think anyone coming into the store will find something they definitely like."

Søstrene Grene and the soon-to-open Nando's restaurant mark a new era for the Howard Centre, and Ieva believes they can help spark somewhat of a revival for the venue.

"I've spoken to a friend actually who lives nearby who's going to be working at Nando's as a manager," she said.

The store stocks homeware, arts and crafts, teas and plenty more.

The Søstrene Grene team get ready to cut the ribbon and open the store.

"They were saying that it is a quiet area and I've seen that myself, so hopefully then we can be part of the reason why people come back into Howard Centre and spend their time here.

The Welwyn Garden City store is part of Søstrene Grene's expansion into Hertfordshire, with a store in St Albans already open and another on the way soon in Hitchin.

Ieva says the Danish brand’s relaxed atmosphere is a perfect fit for Hertfordshire shoppers.

Inside Søstrene Grene's new Welwyn Garden City store.

The Danish lifestyle brand has become increasingly popular in the UK.

"It's relaxing, truly relaxing," she said.

"People come in and they definitely straight away slow down. The store flows in one direction and you can see people about halfway through starting to walk slower, they're taking their time, they're taking in the products and just having a good time.

"I think people just love what we can offer and I think people of Hertfordshire just enjoy shopping which makes us great for this area."