Customers arrived before dawn and the queues stretched across the car park as Go Outdoors celebrated its return to York this morning.

Twenty months after it closed its doors on Foss Bank, the specialist outdoor equipment and clothing chain aims to be bigger and better in its new home in Vangard Shopping Centre. It says its 125,000 sq ft store in the old John Lewis site is the biggest specialist outdoor store in Europe.

TV personality Helen Skelton cut the ribbon to officially open the new store and let customers young and old, on four feet and two, in to explore the two floors of tents, bicycles, camping equipment, rucksacks and other walking equipment, clothes, shoes, fishing equipment, maps and many other items.

The Ray family had arrived at 5.30am to make sure they were among the first to enter the store. Mum Janice said the products were “good quality, they last and they are good value for money.”

Her son Sean was keen to try the climbing wall, one of the special attractions for a weekend of celebrations.

Store manager Nik Hodges said his 70 staff plus 30 franchise workers had worked very hard to reach this point and he had told them to enjoy the celebrations because they had earned them.

“It’s fantastic. It’s great to see the queue of customers,” he said. “I want the customers and staff to have fun.”

He said everyone was welcome, including those in muddy boots and with dogs.

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Before the doors opened, staff danced and clapped as they prepared to welcome customers with goodie bags and smiles.

The queue outside was so long it took more than half an hour for everyone to come in and get a goodie bag from Helen and the staff. There were so many customers, the store ran out of goodie bags.

Helen, co-presenter of BBC TV’s Countryfile programme about non-urban life, said she was a regular customer with Go Outdoors because of the quality of the products and the way staff helped people of all abilities, and she welcomed the café in the store saying it gives customers a chance to sit down and consider the pros and cons when making major purchases, such as a tent.

She said she loves the outdoors and the feel of fresh air on her face. Although there are many academic studies about why outdoor activities are good psychologically and physically, she said that wasn’t why she got outdoors as much as she could.

“I know what I like, so I do it,” she said.

Representatives of Girl Guiding’s North Yorkshire South were on hand in the store to talk to customers about what they can offer children and to recruit volunteers.

Country commissioner Lesley Straithie said outdoor activities were an important part of guiding and guides and leaders bought equipment from Go Outdoors.

She welcomed the return of Go Outdoors to York.

“Girls get fantastic chances to try things they didn’t think they would ever do with us,” she said. “It’s not like family holidays.”