FASHION giant H&M has opened its second store in York, creating 20 new jobs.

The company has 13,000 sq ft at the former Blacks premises at Monks Cross Shopping Park, Huntington. With its Spurriergate branch, H&M now employs 40 people in the city.

Magnus Olsen, H&M’s UK and Republic of Ireland country manager, said: “We feel that Monks Cross is a great location to expand our presence in York and to enable us to bring an even wider selection of H&M collections to our valued customers there.

“We hope that the new store and broader range of collections for the whole family at fantastic prices will be much appreciated.”

It is another indication that big name retailers are seeing York as the ideal city in which to invest their way out of the economic downturn.

The premises became available because Blacks outdoor clothing retailer vacated it to downsize to a slightly smaller shop a few yards away alongside the new Debenhams.

H&M, owned by Swedish company Hennes & Mauritz, specialises in fashion and accessories for women as well as catering for men and children. It has about 2,000 stores in 35 markets and employs more than 74,000 people.