A NEW home and garden store opens in York this month, creating 150 new jobs for the area.

Wilkinson opens its 300th store on the site of the former Allders At Home store on February 29.

The 150, which includes 80 permanent full-time jobs, more than makes up for the 42 job losses when the Allders chain went into administration in winter of 2005. The 30,000 sq ft Wilkinsons will stock a large range of toiletries, kitchenware and houseware, including cleaning products, home living and DIY among 25,000 product lines.

There will also be traditional stationery, household basics and seasonal items. The new store will have special significance for Stuart Mitchell, chief executive of Wilkinson who was born and bred in Appleton Roebuck.

Mr Mitchell, a former managing director of Sainsbury's who later steered AS Watson, owners of Superdrug, Savers and The Perfume Shop, will officially open the new outlet.

He said: "I am enormously proud that the store is in my home town. It's a family opening, and lots of generations of the Wilkinson family will be there, as well as my mum and dad."

Gary Mizon, the new store manager at Clifton Moor, said: "I am so excited about bringing Wilkinson to York and welcoming new customers into the store.

"Many residents will not be familiar with our unbeatable mix of popular brands and high quality Wilko' brands of everyday items for the home and garden, which have made Wilkinson one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, so they are in for a surprise.

"We are planning a weekend full of activities to celebrate the opening, so there will be lots of activities to keep mum, dad and the kids entertained."

Children from Happy Jays nursery school, Clifton Moor, are preparing for the event by creating a giant "300th" card which will be displayed in the shop window in the week's run up to the event. There will also be the release of 300 balloons, a construction of 300 cup cakes and a balloon modeller.

The following day, Saturday, will be family fun day, with face painters offering free children's face designs.

On the Sunday, as a special Mothers Day treat, the store will be visited by a celebrity chef who will give cookery demonstrations outside the store.

Wilkinson serves 178 million customers each year and the arrival of the 300th store in York puts the company's plans of opening 500 stores by 2012 well ahead of schedule.