A RETAILING institution will rise Phoenix-like from the ashes next week when it opens a new furniture store.

Russell & Dorrell closed its department store in Worcester's High Street, in January, after trading in the Faithful City for almost 170-years.

But now the family-run company is dusting off the tills and polishing the brass at its new furniture superstore in the County Mills building in Dolday, Worcester, which is due to open next Thursday.

Following three months of renovations, the new store now offers about 30,000 sq m of display space across all three floors of the building. State-of-the-art fixtures and fittings have been installed.

The ground floor of the building was previously occupied by Countrywide Stores, with offices taking up the first and second floors.

The new Russell & Dorrell furniture store will sell contemporary furniture on the ground floor, traditional furniture on the first floor and beds and bedroom furniture on the third floor.

Lorna Goode, the new general manager drafted in to oversee human resources and facilities, said the store would build on Russell & Dorrell's reputation for quality.

"Russell & Dorrell has always stood for quality and they will continue to provide that," said Ms Goode.

"The new store gives us so much more space than previously, so we can offer a far wider range of furniture."

She said the team of 22 staff had really pulled together for the move, with the first and second floors already complete and the ground floor due to be finished early next week.

"It's been all hands to the pump," she said.

"Whatever happens we will be ready to open on Thursday! People have pulled out all the stops. As a newcomer to the team, I am totally impressed by the efforts of everybody. Everyone is really excited about the move."

The company decided to close its department store, situated in the Lychgate Shopping Centre, when it was announced a multi-million pound facelift for the centre would commence at the start of this year.

At the time, managing director Howard Dorrell said he felt his store did not "fit in" with the planned development, which is set to include six new fashion outlets.