A brand-new Go Outdoors store in Team Valley, Gateshead, was opened up by EastEnders star Ross Kemp with help from Countryfile host Julia Bradbury.
Both Ross and Julia both took to social media to promote the store opening - with fans sharing their excitement to meet both TV stars at the opening ceremony.
In a video posted to Twitter, Ross said: "This Saturday I'll be opening the new Go Outdoors store in Gateshead.
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"Doors open at 9am and there will be vouchers and goody bags for the first 200 people through the door. There'll be a raffle and plenty of stuff for kids to do.
"Hopefully, I'll see you this Saturday at the Go Outdoors store in Gateshead."
The two performed the official ribbon cutting ceremony at 9am on Saturday, while hundreds of eager customers queued up to have a first look inside the brand new retail setup.
And the event brought many fans of the shop, queuing for hours to get a first look inside. Die-hard supporters Tom Wilkinson & Tori Nichols from Hartlepool even went as far as camping out last night from 10pm, just so they could be the first in queue.
Speaking to Chronicle Live, they said: “It was just another excuse to camp out and we are huge fans of Go Outdoors. We are in nearly every week and spend most of our money in there.
"When we heard the new store was opening in the Team Valley, we just thought it would be great to go down and be the first customers in the queue.”
Tom and Tori, alike the rest of the first hundred through the doors this morning, were rewarded with goody bags for their efforts, while everyone else at the event received £20 gift vouchers.
After the grand opening itself, Ross and Julia hosted a Q+A session for loyal customers and fans alike - also allocating time for many of whom to get pictures and autographs from the pair.
Ross is no stranger to opening Go Outdoors stores across the United Kingdom, having also opened stores in Coventry, Derbyshire, Hull, Liverpool and Chesterfield to name a few over the last few years.
Did you queue outside the new store this morning for its grand opening? Let us know.
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