A RYEDALE business is to reopen this week following a £750,000 redevelopment.

Thomas the Baker has refurbished its Helmsley deli to incorporate a bakery and wider range of products. The work has also lead to a consolidation of the two Thomas’ stores within the town.

The existing Thomas the Baker shop, which is currently based opposite the deli on Helmsley’s Market Place, will relocate to within the newly revamped store which opens to the public on Friday.

All of the staff working in both Helmsley stores have remained employed within new shop.

To celebrate the changes, a Grand Opening will take place in store Saturday, September 30. The event will see demonstrations and samplings from celebrity chef Stephanie Moon.

She will be assisted by the deli’s team of in-house experts who will be on hand to answer questions and give tips and advice to customers.

John Thomas, founder of Thomas the Baker, , said: “It’s fantastic to be so close to the finishing line now – the work has taken longer than we expected and, as is always the case when working with such a historic and beautiful building, you always find more things as you go along

“But we’re delighted with the end result, which looks great, and is much more practical in terms of what we want to offer.

"Not only will there be a difference in terms of appearance, but we’ll also be able to offer a much wider range of products, so it’s a positive for shoppers in the town too.

“We also hope to see lots of members of the local community for our Grand Opening. Our new facilities mean we can offer many more ready-to-eat products, so it will be good to let people try them for themselves.

"During the day we will also be running competitions for younger shoppers to win prizes, so there’s something for all ages.”

Thomas the Baker was established in 1981, with the opening of a Bakery in Malton, followed by Helmsley a year later. It now stands at 30 shops across Yorkshire, along with a head office based in Helmsley.