OXFORD’S Aldi reopened this morning after a month-long closure.

The store on Botley Road went under refurbishment in September, which mainly involved extending the upstairs warehouse space for stock. 

It welcomed customers at 8am today when store manager Michal Niechwiejczyk cut a ceremonial ribbon and greeted a queue of waiting shoppers. 

He said: "We have doubled the size of the warehouse so it will be much easier to store more goods and more things will be in stock.

"Customers seemed to have a really great first impression, it feels more open. It's was stressful trying to make sure everything was up to scratch but it's really exciting.

"When I came outside I could only see about 25 people, then I looked around the corner and there was a massive queue, there must have been about 100.

"It's great - four weeks is a long time and people go off to different supermarkets. It's a great feeling that they are coming back to us."

While the store appears largely the same on the shop floor, the ceiling has been lowered to allow for more warehouse space above and the layout has been fine-tuned to appear more open-plan.

There is also an extra till and a decidated section for the special buys, which Mr Niechwiejczyk said were 'all over the place' before. 

The alcohol section has been given an upmarket makeover, with bottles placed into a new wooden display rather than onto shelves.

Mr Niechwiejczyk hoped the revamp might mean the store might entice Waitrose customers further along Botley Road to try something new.

He said: "The alcohol range is posh-looking and the selection is good. In our Christmas range we have some exclusive lines.

"Hopefully people will try us from Waitrose for the first time. Some of the specially-selected ranges are the same quality or even better."

Regular Aldi shopper Richard Thomas arrived shortly after the opening to check out the improvements.

The 74-year-old, who lives in Farmoor, said: "They have just cleaned it up a bit more and there is more room in the aisles."

He said he travelled to Witney for his weekly shop during the store's closure.

A customer from Wootton, who did not want to be named, said: "I've been ill so I didn't actually notice that it had shut. I just happened to turn up on on the opening day. I didn't notice many changes but I was looking for what I wanted.

"I like shopping here, for a start because of the price. I can't really afford to go to Waitrose."

Another customer added: "It's 100 per cent better. There is more room to move and it's not so cluttered."