A long-awaited Marks & Spencer foodhall is set to open in Marshalswick after the controversial decision to demolish a pub on the site.

The store, located on The Ridgeway, is set to open at 10am on Tuesday, March 27. The future of the site was initially left uncertain after St Albans district council gave permission for The Baton pub to be destroyed and replaced with flats and the M&S Foodhall in 2015.

When construction was finished the M&S store still did not open, inciting rumours about the fate of the space. In January however, the company confirmed that the Foodhall would open as planned following a reshuffle which saw the closure of several M&S stores.

The Marshalswick store will be opened by manager Sarah Harrison, joined by her team of 48 locally-employed colleagues.

Sarah said: “We’re really excited to reveal our opening date and can’t wait to welcome the community through our doors in a few weeks’ time.

“Whether customers are popping in to grab something for lunch on-the-go, or planning a weekend dinner party, my team and I will be making sure they get everything they need to enjoy delicious dining.”

The new food store will be filled with Easter products, including Easter eggs and hot cross buns.

Sarah said: “Easter is a wonderful time to get together with friends and family and we want to make sure our customers get everything they need for bank holiday celebrations, from show stopping dinner table centrepieces to sweet treats for Easter Egg Hunts.

“They say St Albans first created the Hot Cross Bun and we’ll have the very best of M&S’s creations on offer, from traditional family favourites to creative twists, including the first ever Blueberry flavoured Hot Cross Bun.

“My team and I can’t wait to introduce the St Albans community to the very best of M&S.”

The decision to open the Foodhall and close the pub met with initial opposition from St Albans CAMRA.

In the past few years, M&S has faced 30 UK store closures. In addition to the Foodhall, there are 14 flats above the retail space which are up for rent.

The store is at 1 Johnstone Court, The Ridgeway, Marshalswick, St Albans.